Nights I Can't Remember
by lonelywinter
Summary: Klaus is in his third year university to become a Artist, he's smooth, charismatic and completely antisocial. His brother (and best friend) Kol decides that he needs to have a little fun. Though Klaus befriending and bedding a pretty blond girl working the streets of London wasn't originally what he had in mind. [AU]
1. Chapter 1: Glad You Came

London, England wasn't the first choice Klaus had in mind when he thought about moving out, though it seemed like the perfect amount of distance away from him and his bickering family. He loved them till his end but they were children when it came to listening and appreciating one another. So when Klaus turned of age he packed his bags and headed out towards the big city of London.

Not long after he signed up to attend classes at a university for art. Ever since he was a child Klaus had enjoyed painting, drawing, doing anything with his hands that enabled him to make a world of his own. A whole bundle of creativity was at his fingertips with just the flick of a paintbrush and he loved the feeling of it. Klaus's family had money which he graciously used for school, however he drew the line after that, determined to thrive on his own.

Kol wasn't far behind him in the moving out bit and followed Klaus to his small flat. Out of all of his siblings Klaus always had the most fun with his brother Kol, he was annoying and Klaus regularly wanted to punch him, but they were great friends when it came down to it. It helped that Kol wanted to pay the bill on the flat since he was living off of their parents fortune.

It was a hazy afternoon, the sky was dark but there was no rain and Klaus was thankful because the sound of it hitting his window was aggravating. He'd just gotten out of class; heading back to the flat and silently prayed Kol wasn't there so he could have a little bit of alone time. His pleas were not answered.

His brothers shoes sat near the door, his jacket hung near the doorway. Klaus grunted softly but continued his way into the living room. Kol didn't appear to be awake which was better than nothing. There was a room off the living room that should have served as a dinning place but instead Klaus converted it into his own personal art room. They usually ate off the island in the kitchen area anyways.

Klaus was going to start painting something to rid his mind of bothersome things, but a noise from behind him caught his attention. A tall blond woman with large breasts and a top too small for her was stumbling out of his brother's room. Klaus was less than impressed when Kol sauntered out behind her, smiling like he'd won the Olympics.

She stopped midway out the door and turned to him, resting a hand on his chest and smiling desperately at him, "So when can I see you again?"

Kol cocked his head to the side, allowing his index finger to run underneath her chin. He gave her a peck on the lips and replied, "I'll call you." Though the woman had no chance to reply before she had the door slammed closed in her face. Kol spun around on his heel, now facing his brother's unimpressed expression. "She was a slut." He smirked.

Klaus sighed dramatically. It was the same thing, over and over again. Kol found woman down at the bar, brought them home, had sex with them and then sent them on their way like little play things. Klaus wasn't the kind of man to actually be in a relationship but he knew that woman deserved better than his brother Kol. "When are you going to grow up?" He asked.

Kol was still on cloud nine as he made his way over to his brother. He didn't seem one bit upset by Klaus's inquiry. "When you make more friends." Klaus said nothing in return; instead he put his back on his brother and started to paint. The door between his art room and the living room was wide open. Klaus had attached a hook to the back of the door, and then a latch to hook it on the wall. Kol told him there was no need for it but he shunned him.

The brush in his hand danced along the canvas, it was an easy, subconscious thing he'd been doing his whole life. "I don't need friends Kol." Klaus spoke lowly. He gave his brother a side glance before continuing his painting.

Kol was leaning back on the couch, fingers laced together to support his head, and his legs resting on the coffee table. "Sure you do, need to get laid too." He chuckled to himself slightly. "You should come to the bar tonight, meet a nice gal, get her home, rip her clothes-"

"Enough." Klaus silenced him, words cutting through the sentence like a knife. Kol still had on his signature smile which Klaus definitely didn't find charming. "Kol I'm not going out to a bar and delving into your sexual shenanigans."

It took at least twelve more tries before Klaus finally caved and agreed to follow his brother downtown that night. Kol promised him he'd have the time of his life, Klaus knew that he'd regret it instantly but decided to give it a try anyways, if it shut Kol up it was a great decision.

Though it didn't shut Kol up because he was determined to talk about what they were going to wear, who they were going to meet, the kinds of girls that are easily accessible. "Accessible?" Klaus asked skeptically.

Kol jumped off the couch with excitement, his eyes glowing with all the possible abilities of the evening. He lived for these kinds of events and now that Klaus had shown curiosity he was more than enthusiastic. "The ones that you can get in bed easier."

With a defeated sigh Klaus said, "Sorry I asked." Kol approached him, smiling like an idiot, face glowing with happiness. Klaus wondered how they were even related. It was the temper that ran throughout the whole family which made him aware of just how much alike they were. As Kol came closer he slung his arm around Klaus's shoulders, coming to face his painting.

His smile turned into a half smirk as his head titled and he examined the work Klaus had done. "Is that me being eaten by a bear?" Klaus smiled to himself as he thought about it actually happening. "I would have preferred a baby Polar Bear to be honest."

Klaus detached himself from Kol's grasp, making sure they were no longer touching. He set down his paint brush and picked up his rag, wiping his hands clean of the paint that settled on his skin. "Baby Polar Bears are blind brother. This bear knows the annoying asshole its killing." Kol considered it for a minute before shrugging his shoulders in agreement.

The club Kol had decided to take him to was called 'Radio'. Klaus had never heard of it but he hoped that the experience was a lot better than the name. Kol sat beside him in the cab, almost bouncing in anticipation of the events to come. "Don't worry, it's an oldie but a goodie." Klaus rolled his eyes, crossed his arms and sunk back into his seat. Kol was more annoying than ever.

When they arrived it was dark outside and the early threat of rain had dissipated. Klaus muttered a curse at the clear air. The one time he wanted it to rain so he had an excuse to go home early and it stayed nice and non-cloudy. "Lousy weather." He mumbled under his breath.

Kol gave him a strange look because the weather was beautiful, but he said nothing.

Klaus had never been to that side of the town, he had never had an interest in it. He saw woman and people and thugs and things he didn't like to see. Klaus was generally not a people person and he was surrounded by a lot of people. Kol promised him that everything would be perfect but Klaus ignored him. He looked towards the streets once more, spotting a lady on the arm of an older man and he knew that she was at least half his age. Klaus knew the obvious facts about people: Some were rats, others were roses, their character prominent in their actions and words. He never understood that reference since roses and rats weren't exactly alike but his mother had taught him that phrase so he remembered it. It was the way he based most people, if they acted like a rat they were a rat and there wasn't much more to it than that.

Inside the club the lights were flickering around the walls, floors and across the faces of at least a hundred drunken young adults who didn't seem to have anything better to do. The smell of alcohol drifted through Klaus as he and Kol approached the bar, it clung to them like a bad memory and it made him squirm uncomfortably. Once they reached the bar Kol ordered them the usual -whatever the hell that was- and Klaus sat on a bar stool trying to ignore the scene around him.

Kol slid a drink to him which he happily accepted and nearly swallowed in one mouthful. "Easy brother." Kol cautioned. Klaus ignored him again and began to watch the dancing gang of people. Woman in petite clothing grinding against men who were sweating and trying to look cool. It was disturbing.

When he turned back to his brother Kol was gone. Klaus hadn't expected him to be there the whole night but Klaus didn't want to be left alone. He ordered another one of those drinks and then downed it once again. Suddenly there was a tap on his shoulder and Klaus looked up to see a tall brown haired girl smiling down at him.

"Hey," she smirked, "Want to dance?"

Klaus sucked in a large breath, about to say no but then he heard his brother shout, "Can't sit there all night Klaus that won't make me shut up!" So Klaus gave in and accepted the girls offer.

Though he didn't know how to dance like the rest of them, so it was more of an awkward sway than anything else. He tried his hardest to pretend to be having fun, Kol wasn't in eyesight but his ghost was lingering around somewhere, ready to pounce if Klaus didn't put in an effort. But Klaus wasn't able to stifle it down for very long because his head started to pound, lights got in his eyes and that girl was way to close for comfort. So Klaus ditched.

There was a faint sound of Kol yelling at him in the back of his mind but Klaus didn't really care. He hated the club, he hated the people and he most of all hated having to go outside his comfort zone. If he could have been doing anything it would be at home painting. Maybe Kol being eaten by other animals, like a million squirrels or tiny bluebirds. Klaus chuckled slightly at the thought.

The night air was calming, all around him Klaus could see the civilians looming around, strolling along their merry way as if their purpose in the world was much greater than it would turn out to be. They pinned their hair up in all kinds of crazy positions and dressed up like it was the last night on Earth, trying to capture the hearts of those around them and Klaus felt sick at the thought. Why make yourself seem any better than you were for anybody? He'd never fallen in love but he'd seen enough TV and read enough novels to know that changing yourself for somebody else never worked out. Except in Grease but he'd only seen bits and pieces from Rebekah.

Suddenly there was a shriek from an alley nearby and Klaus snapped out of his daze, almost in a superhero sort of way, hearing the cry of an innocent victim. Though Klaus was anything but a hero. He walked briskly to the sound of the cry and when he turned the corner he found exactly what he thought he would. Or something like it.

There was a strong man, muscles rippling under his leather jacket, and a hairstyle with way too much hair gel. But that wasn't what made Klaus's blood boil with anger. It was the tiny blond haired girl caught underneath his grasp. She was kicking him, pushing him, nearly ripping his face off but the man held still against her. Klaus didn't like violence but he was known for getting brutal when he was pushed.

Klaus didn't know how it happened but by the time he was seeing straight again the man was taking off, there was blood on his fist and the blond girl was glaring at him with crossed arms. Klaus gulped, his chest rising and falling heavily. He often became unaware of things when he started to throw punches, unless he had a reason to stay sane in that moment, anybody around him could be injured. Therapists had told him it'd go away, mostly because he'd lied when they asked him if it was getting better. It was never getting better.

Now that he could see her face he knew that it was meant to be saved. She was young, -maybe twenty three years old- with the sort of aura that brought light to the darkness of the alley. Her beauty was evident but it was the way she stood, her stance firm and controlling that made her seem far more different than anybody Klaus had ever met. The way her hair fell over her shoulder, tangled up from her run in with the punk, blond tendrils of beauty that Klaus had never seen before in his life. She looked soft and kind, the type of girl to help you when you needed it most, but kept her ground, a very determined soul.

He took one step towards her before stopping. She didn't look very happy about his being there. Klaus examined her body, noticing the short black dress she wore, tight to her body, hugging her in the perfect places. "I could have handled that myself." She stated. Her accent was unmistakably American.

Klaus felt angry as he heard the words, because she obviously couldn't have. "I just saved your bloody life and you're angry?" He couldn't believe her.

The girl rolled her eyes when he spoke. "It happens all the time I could have handled it myself." He raised an eyebrow. "Don't give me that look."

Shaking his head he asked, "What look?"

She was obviously accustomed to dealing with people she barely knew because she had no trouble talking to Klaus. Her wrist flicked into the air, trying to dismiss him but Klaus wasn't going to let it go so easily. He caught up to her in her stride. "Get away." She declared sternly.

Klaus seemed to be ignoring a lot of people that night. Kol, Her and the random people on the street that they were capturing the attention of. "I just helped you; I don't see what your problem is."

Her feet stopped dead in their tracks before she turned to face him. "My problem is guys like you thinking they can save me and get free sex." Klaus opened his mouth a little in confusion, shaking his head he just watched her. "I told you to stop looking at me like me."

He gave her his innocent eyes, "I don't know what you're talking about. Why are you paying people in sex?" She must have thought he was an idiot, but Klaus just couldn't understand what the hell she was discussing.

The girl chuckled but Klaus knew that she didn't think it was funny. "They're paying _me_ you ass." She had that glare back in her eyes, angry at him for no reason at all.

That's when it clicked in his brain, was she angry because he had lost her a possible client? No that guy had been attacking her. Klaus looked around him and noticed that everybody that was watching them previously had turned their back on him and tried to engage in their own social events. "Oh, you're a prostitute."

She pursed her lips, "I like to call it, girl that gets laid and paid more than you." That made Klaus's lips form into a smile. She was charming in a weird sense. The way she stood up for herself and her bad life choices. It was endearing how innocent she looked but knowing what he now knew, it gave her a sexier appeal. "So I'm going now." The girl began to walk away but she stumbled over a crack in the pavement and Klaus reached out to catch her.

When she landed in his arms there was a change in the air. It thickened with emotions that Klaus couldn't put his finger on. She looked up at him through her eyelashes, their noses only an inch apart and something clicked. Moments earlier she had been telling him to leave her alone and now she looked at him like a completely different person. Slowly, their noses skimmed, their lips brushed and then they were connected.

Klaus hadn't kissed a woman in years, too busy hiding out by himself, trying to stay away from all other people besides his University professors and his siblings. But her kiss was electrifying, sparking old feelings he didn't even know he possessed. She was grasping the front of his shirt, pulling him closer and he had his hands in her hair, thick locks of blond beauty and she was just as interested in him as he was her.

She pulled away and in a quiet breath she gasped, "I don't do this ever, but get a cab to your place now." Klaus didn't argue as he called for a cab from his cell, she kissed his neck while he spoke, making it hard for him to concentrate but he wasn't going to ask her to stop.

The cab driver paid them no attention as they sat in the back, hands roaming each other, mouths stuck together like they had been superglued. He probably put up with this like this on a nightly basis. Klaus didn't understand anything that was going on but he liked it. Normally he was used to having control in a situation but she was experienced, and for once in his life he didn't mind letting somebody else take the reins.

Klaus was thankful Kol wasn't home, probably drunk out of his mind in the back of the club with a random girl. His girl was undressing him nearly as soon as they walked through the door, tearing his jacket off and placing kisses down his neck and jaw. Klaus pushed her off for a moment and took her hand, "Come on love." He pulled her towards his bedroom and she happily followed.

Once inside she kicked the door shut and he slammed his lips into hers, grabbing her hips and forcing her back against the wall with severe pressure. The girl chuckled as he began to kiss her neck, nipping at the skin as he went, then kissing the places he'd previously been. She had his clothes on the ground in a matter of moments and hers' followed soon after.

He kissed down her chest, her stomach and then back up to her lips causing moans to escape her. Klaus went to move back down to her neck but she grasped his hair and pulled him back up to her mouth. They locked eyes and the message was well received. Without much warning he was suddenly inside her causing her to gasp in delight. They moved together, kissing, sucking, relishing in just being together in every sense of the word. Her nails digging into his skin every time he pushed her closer to bliss. Then he suddenly stopped, right before she was ready. Klaus forcefully kissed her before moving away slowly. She was curious at first but soon recognized it as a challenge, surging forward and tumbling into him.

Together they fumbled backwards onto the bed, she laughed when they landed together in a tangle of limbs. He smirked at her before climbing on top of her body and picking back up where they left off. She kissed his chest, his neck, everywhere she could access while they collided together, hands dancing along each others bodies as if they'd lose each other if they stopped. Klaus traced chest with his fingers, entranced by how beautiful she was, and the sound she made when she was pleasured, -an almost ghostly whimper- plunged his heart into rhythmic thumps he couldn't control.

It was almost like they'd done it a million times the way they moved together, how their bodies worked to help each other, two machines that functioned fine on their own but when they were attached, it was a breakthrough for all mankind. Klaus loved the sound of her moan, the way she dug her nails into her skin and how she managed to have complete control, even from the bottom. As they approached their peak she pulled his body right against hers, and he didn't bother to complain about it.

Klaus fell beside her, deeply breathing, she turned on her side, leaning against her hand so that her eyes were looking right down at his. "You're pretty good." She admitted like it was a surprise. Klaus would have said something about her insulting his honor but he bit his tongue. Something told him she had been with more people than he would ever be, he didn't need to hear the comparisons. She turned away from him, leaving him panting and facing the ceiling. She was something all right.

It was many minutes later, when Klaus looked over and found her sleeping. A small rise and collapse of her chest with every breath, it was so delicate it almost pained him. She was beautiful, strong, self- aware and probably a little too dominative for his liking but he was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. His body had become numb as he continued to stare at the ceiling, his mind couldn't wrap around his actions, which rarely happened. Klaus always had control but not then, not with her. However, then the realization started to sink in. He had slept with a girl he didn't know, not only that but he had slept with a prostitute.

The more he thought about it the more clam he seemed to become. She was a woman who sold her body for money on a nightly bases, and he had fallen victim to her charm. Oddly enough Klaus didn't care.


	2. Chapter 2: Wrap My Mind Around You

Empty beds are strange things. Sometimes they're great because you get to stretch out to your hearts content, sighing deeply and basking in the glow of a lazy morning. However than there is the sadness it has along with it. The emptiness one feels when they roll over and find themselves alone in a mess of blankets, pillows and crumbs from eating in the middle of the night. This was one of those times. Klaus felt around the bed but only found himself, and he shouldn't have been surprised, the girl had been a prostitute after all.

He opened his eyes a crack and took a swift look around, already knowing that the girl wasn't even in the room. Klaus groaned at himself for what he had done, he had slept with a random woman whom he didn't know the name of. She was beautiful and he had damn well enjoyed himself but that just wasn't Klaus's usual behavior. Call him old fashion but he liked to actually get to know a woman before he slept with them.

Though she was different. Much different.

There was a note leaning against the lamp on his bedside table that Klaus didn't remember seeing beforehand. Delicately he picked it up and read it: '_This one is on the house_.' Klaus crumbled the paper in his hand, tossing it into the corner of the room before grunting and falling back down onto the bed. Kol would of course find out even if Klaus didn't tell him and so it would be pointless to try and keep it a secret. He watched the ceiling intently, already visualizing the proud grin his brother would bare.

He nearly fell out of bed when his foot got tangled in one of the loose bed sheets pushed near the end of the mattress. Though he caught himself before he actually fell and it was pretty heroic if you asked him.

He moved slowly down the hallway, towards the kitchen where the sounds of Kol grinding coffee beans could already be heard. He was silent as he entered the room but Kol always had good hearing. "Hello brother." He chimed. Klaus pulled out a stool from the island and took his usual seat, right across from the stove. Kol looked at him over his shoulder, using his legendary smirk. "So what did you get up to last night?"

Klaus laced his fingers together and leaned his chin against them. He had no desire to tell his brother of the previous nights engagements but he figured that with the smile Kol was wearing he had probably already guessed. "I met a girl." Klaus confessed.

Kol looked genuinely happy for his brother. "That's my man!"

"Well," he licked his lips, trying to ease the words out of his mouth competently, "She may or may not have been a prostitute."

His brothers' mouth dropped to the floor when he heard the news, he spun on his heel and faced Klaus. The coffee beans were clearly forgotten in light of the new information. "Holy shit that's the best news I've heard all week!"

Klaus didn't look amused; his voice was monotone when he spoke. "I'm glad I could offer a form of entertainment for you brother." Kol winked at him. "I'm heading off to class now." Klaus pushed himself away from the island and began to stand but Kol halted him.

"What was it like?" He sounded so eager to know the puny details in Klaus's love story that it made the older brother sick. "Come on, was she good?" Klaus cocked his head to the side irked.

Defeated Klaus shrugged his shoulders, "She was great, you'd be jealous." He smiled at his brother who had a jealous expression now painted on his once curious face. Klaus chuckled slightly before exiting the room with a jump in his step.

He tossed a random shirt over his head, slipped on an old pair of jeans, ripped in the knees and frayed near the bottom before he grabbed his bag and headed off towards the front door once again. Kol was loudly crunching his cereal as Klaus walked by, "Don't pick up any women on your way home."

Klaus sucked in the insult that was hanging on the edge of his tongue and continued to the door.

He attended three classes three times a week at the local arts collage. Klaus hated going to art history because he already knew most of the answers but at least that made it easy for him. He also attended an actual art class where they got to paint, draw and whatever else the teacher thought was necessary. He had decided to take another class in order to further his education and so he chose a regular old English class. He knew that he didn't have to go to school because let's face it he couldn't make much of a job out of painting, but he enjoyed it and if he ever had to go back to his parents fortune he'd do it. But only if he really had to.

This class was English; Klaus skipped it a lot because he wasn't very interested in it. The teacher was over exaggerated, bothering the hell out of him with her constant yammering and squeaky voice. Really the only reason Klaus attended at all was because he would fail the course if he didn't and one of the only other people in the world he could actually stand attended that class with him. Stefan Salvatore.

Stefan had moved from the US to attend University in London and Klaus couldn't fathom why. Stefan said it was because he needed to get away from his family, but Klaus didn't really believe it. He let Stefan run with it however because the drama behind his actual reason wasn't Klaus's idea of a fun conversation.

As Klaus walked he thought about the previous night. He'd been trying to keep his mind off of her ever since he left the building but it became increasingly hard to keep his mind off the blond haired beauty. She was plaguing his mind with images of her smile, her body, and her bright eyes. The sound of her voice, her whimper, that giggle she made as they fell back against the bed. He wanted to forget her but every time he thought she was gone he'd turn around and a blond woman would walk by. None of them were like her but they were enough to distract him again.

Klaus arrived at least a minute early to class which meant that he had no time to spare because the teacher was never late. Not even by a second. He walked hastily to his seat where Stefan was already sitting in his own desk beside Klaus'. He was intently reading his book so he didn't seem to notice when Klaus slid into the chair beside him the exact moment the teacher walked in and offered a hello to the classroom.

He looked surprised to find Klaus there, "How long have you been there?" Stefan placed the bookmark in-between his pages and set the book to the side. He barely paid attention in class either, he usually just got notes from some girl sitting in the front row that had an unwavering amount of affection for him. Klaus would have done the same but nobody was very fond of him, not in the way she was of Stefan. "You look like you've had a rough night." Stefan commented.

Klaus gave an empty chuckle; "Funnily enough …" He let the sentence run away from him as Stefan turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. Klaus quickly realized his mistake. He shouldn't be telling Stefan about the girl, it was stupid of him to have told Kol but that was only because his younger brother was a persistent asshole. "Kol had another woman over and they wouldn't shut up the whole night."

Stefan let out an actual laugh, catching the attention of a girl in front of them. She turned around angrily and glared at them, hovering her finger over her mouth to shush them. Klaus normally would have glared right back but he was too preoccupied in not trying to think of last night. "Tough break man. Your family is pretty weird though, I mean that one time I met them they fought constantly."

Klaus shrugged because it had been true. Mikael had been his charming self as usual and demanded that Klaus stop being such an idiot and get himself a real job. Kol tried to defend Klaus, and then Elijah got in the middle of it all, being the sensible lad that he is. It was quite the catastrophe and Stefan ended up leaving with juice stained down his shirt. Klaus apologized but Stefan told him just to never invite him to another family gathering again. Originally Klaus wasn't going to invite anybody but his family had these gatherings each year and everybody brought a date or friend. Klaus never did but his mother insisted he start letting people in and so he invited Stefan.

"Sorry again about that, I guess I'm going dateless this year." He gave Stefan his best puppy dog eyes.

Stefan looked at him but he wasn't charmed at all by Klaus's new expression. Perhaps it was because he'd seen it too many times and Klaus's heart just wasn't in it that morning. "I was not your date." He declared.

Klaus placed a finger to his lips and tapped them slowly as if he was trying to recall a memory. Stefan had spent most of the night trying to avoid the conflict of the Mikaelson clan by talking with Rebekah who had brought her own date though he ended up leaving early. Klaus looked to his only friend outside of his family and sighed, "If I remember right you spent the whole night flirting with my sister."

He shrugged, not denying the claim in the least, "She's hot."

Klaus shot daggers at him, "Shut up."

The class dragged on for what seemed like hours until finally the teacher stopped talking and Klaus was able to break free of the over crowded, sweat producing group of young adults he was forced to share his time with. He bid Stefan a goodbye before darting off.

Outside Klaus walked quickly, trying to get away from building as fast as he could. The air was rushing around him at an even faster speed than he was walking, almost like it was trying to beat him at running away from the other students. Klaus made it to the end of the walk before he decided his legs were sore and he didn't wish to have to walk all the way back to his flat.

He considered asking Stefan for a ride but the man was already gone from sight whenever Klaus looked around. Of course he still had him on his cell phone, so Klaus picked up his phone and pressed receiver to his ear. Stefan picked up, "Hello?" Klaus could hear a car honk in the background and he sighed.

"You're gone aren't you mate?" He probably sounded deflated.

Stefan said, "No I have class on the other end of campus." Klaus thanked him anyways and hung up. He supposed that he could always grab a cab, no matter how dreadful the idea sounded to him.

He managed to catch the attention of a taxi that had just dropped off a brown haired woman, who appeared to be returning from a hard day at the office. Slipping in the back he told the man his address and they took off. Klaus could smell the scent of old takeout wrappers trying to be disguised by a lavender air freshener hanging from the front mirror. Trying to get his mind off of the wretched essence Klaus peered out the window, examining the passing cars and people.

They stopped at a red light and Klaus noted the presence of a young girl, hair fair in color but not quite the same as the girl from the night before. She looked content as she sat on the bus bench, reading a book Klaus couldn't put a name to and ignoring the rest of the world. She didn't look anything at all like the other woman but it was enough to make Klaus's heart race. He wondered what his girl did when she was bored. Did she read? Watch TV? Go running? Where did she live? Why did she work on the streets? Above all else, what the hell was her name? Klaus wanted to know everything about her but he new that he never would.

He made a very quick decision, throwing his arm out in front of him to capture the attention of the taxi driver. "Sir Can you take me to Radio please?"

The cabbie gave him a strange glance in the mirror that Klaus caught. He spoke with uncertainty, "The club downtown?"

Klaus rolled his eyes at the sheer stupidity of some people. If he had been talking about a radio station he would have declared which one it had been specifically, but he hadn't so obviously he wanted to go to the downtown club. "Yes." He said harshly, "Where else do you possibly think I meant?" The driver said nothing as he took a left and headed for the club.

He didn't understand why he wanted to go down there but he couldn't just leave this woman alone. Maybe he could ask around to see if anybody there knew the girl, he needed to contact her; he needed to know her name. If he could only see her one more time he was sure that his almost obsession would come to pass.

The driver took his money quickly and sped off, probably because Klaus had been an asshole. Not that Klaus cared in the slightest. He could see that the club was closed from the sign on the door, along with blinds covering the windows but he wasn't going to just slump away without trying. Klaus was persistent if not nothing.

He knocked once and nothing happened, twice and the same result. He knew that there had to be somebody there and so he knocked heavily the third time and suddenly the door was flung open. There stood a tall skinny woman, large breasts and an annoyed expression, though it quickly turned to curious when she saw him standing there. "Can I help you?" She asked.

Klaus didn't exactly know what he wanted to ask her but they were standing only inches apart, in the middle of the afternoon, and he was probably keeping her from her job so he had to think of something fast. "Hi, I was here last night and I happened to meet a woman who I can't remember the name of."

She raised an eyebrow, "You came down here to ask about a girls name that I may not know? There are a lot of people who come in here Hun."

Klaus didn't appreciate her demeaning tone. "Listen, I know that you wouldn't understand but I need answers. I would appreciate if you listened to my story."

The girl crossed her arms over her chest, heaving a sigh, "Fine."

He had his hands stuffed in his pockets; he could feel the loose change dwindling between his fingers. Klaus began to describe her, her hair, eyes, height, whatever she was wearing - he found that hard since most of his memories of her were naked. The woman listened with an unimpressed expression and once Klaus was done explaining she sighed and said, "Sorry don't know her, try again." Then proceeded to slam the door in his face.

Klaus huffed and turned on his heel, looking towards the empty street. There was only a few people littering around the place but none of them looked interested or important at all. Klaus gritted his teeth in frustration because he was no closer to solving the problem than he had been five minutes ago. The girl was causing him emotional stress that he certainly didn't need, wrapping her way around every inch of his brain until she was occupying nearly all of his thoughts. Klaus put his hands against his head and tried to push her away but it didn't work.

"Hey." A feminine voice spoke out.

Klaus pivoted, coming face to face with a woman who looked familiar. He must have seen her at the club the previous night as she was wearing a shirt labeled Radio. Her hair fell over one shoulder, the color as black as night, her eyes were shining brighter than diamonds whilst she leaned against the brick wall, a cigarette caught between her teeth. Klaus stood a steady step towards the woman. "Hello."

She didn't miss a beat as she asked, "The woman that you're curious about, I know who she is." Klaus tried to hide his eager expression but from the way the girl chuckled it appeared he had failed. "She comes around here on the weekends, usually Saturdays; you won't catch her again till then." Great it was only Sunday.

Klaus nodded, thanked the woman and watched her stomp the cigarette into the ground before heading into the building. He watched the door close slowly and than began his own departure from the street.

This time the taxi driver seemed far more intelligent than the night before, although Klaus was positive there wasn't a way to measure it without asking the driver to take him to another club. Traffic was brutal along the highway which meant Klaus had plenty more thinking time than he wanted. At first he tried to keep his mind on the track of his schoolwork but it soon took another path and it led to the girl. All of them led to the girl.

They arrived at Klaus's flat much too slowly; he paid the driver and then climbed out. He wondered how much it would suck to be a cab driver. Probably far more than he could even believe.

Kol was still lounging around when Klaus came home, watching television and scratching himself in vulgar places. Klaus glared at him as he entered the room, "Do you have nothing better to do than sit there?"

The younger Mikaelson brightened up at the sound of another human's voice, "Hello brother how was class? Why are you late?"

Klaus swatted at Kol's feet so that he would move them off the edge of the couch. Kol did as his brother wished and sat upright, leaning back into the pillows so that they almost swallowed him whole. "I took a detour it's none of your concern."

Kol was looking smug as he spoke, "A detour to the little lady you met last night?"

That was the moment Klaus had regretted telling his brother about the girl the most. Kol was a tease who could go on for days and never once get tired of speaking about the same shenanigans. Though Klaus only smiled the thought of her was lifting. "Actually I only wanted to know her name so I stopped down at the bar."

"Did you find her?"

Klaus shook his head, "She comes around on Saturdays."

Kol stood up from the couch as soon as his brother spoke than disappeared into the kitchen. Klaus wondered what he had said to upset the younger lad until Kol reappeared with a drink in his hand. "This demanded refreshments. Now continue, only Saturdays? Going back for more this weekend?"

Scoffing Klaus said, "Hardly." After a moment of considering the thought he said, "Perhaps."

Kol winked at him, "Why brother I think this may be the first time I've actually considered us siblings!" He placed a happy slap on Klaus's arm, "You will have to pay this time I do believe."

Klaus was taken back, "How did you know?"

Shrugging Kol spoke, "found the note, I'm a curious man." Klaus had a very strong urge to punch the smug look off of his brothers' face but he sat still in place. There was no point in punching Kol because it could always lead to Klaus blacking out and destroying half of the apartment. They would of course use the money that their parents had but Klaus was rather found of the furniture they currently owned.

He looked up at Kol, shaking his head, "Stay out of my room." Kol only laughed and made his way towards his own bedroom. Klaus soon followed; only instead of taking the door on the right he took the door on the left.

She was still stuck in his head, plaguing his mind, it was maddening. Klaus had already tried to find her, to try and find a way to get her out of his head. Maybe if he paid her, maybe if she told him to get lost, anything would suffice. Alas he was trapped to do nothing -at least not until Saturday rolled around.

Tiredly Klaus picked up his sketch book and began to draw, mindlessly at first, not really noticing the way the lines seemed to fall into the design of a woman's face, then after a while he was aware of just how familiar it looked. No Klaus wasn't drawing a woman he was drawing his woman. With loose hair, eyes delicate yet determined a smirk on her lips. It pained him to look at his own god damn sketch because he just wanted to be there with her, to actually be near her. It was outrageous. He wanted to rip the drawing in half, crumple it into a ball and burn it but he couldn't will himself to do it no matter how hard he tried.

So against his better judgment Klaus shut the sketchbook and tucked it under his bed like he always did after he drew. His head was pounding, his eyes were sore, he was becoming ill just thinking about not being able to be near her, having to sketch her to get his fix. It was revolting. Klaus wished he never went to that stupid club; never let his brother get the best of him. If he hadn't than this wouldn't be happening, going crazy over a prostitute who probably hadn't thought of him since he left his flat anyways.

He really fucking hated himself.


	3. Chapter 3: Caroline

Wake up, eat, go to class, chat with Stefan, come home, paint, talk to Kol, ignore Kol, don't think about her, and sleep. That was the constant cycle that Klaus was living by. Day after day he repeated these actions, trying to push her out of his mind. The more he worked, the more he could forget her, the more he could forget her the easier his life became. So it was this routine that kept him going, each time he tried to think of blond hair and a beautiful smile he would paint, or he spoke with Kol, or watched god damn TV if it would make the difference.

Klaus kept distance from his own thoughts but he couldn't always keep them at bay, not when Kol brought it up, chuckling and asking if Klaus would meet her on Saturday. That was when Klaus thought of her. Her and all the beauty she held, the beauty she blessed upon others as soon as she entered the room. Klaus could only shake his head, walk away and try to do something to get it off of his mind.

She was like the wind, everywhere and nowhere, surrounding you and then gone all at once. It was aggravating the physiological torture Klaus had to be put through because of her. She came back in flashes, images, small things Klaus tried to ignore. So he repeated the pattern, wake up, eat, go to class, chat with Stefan, come home, paint, talk to Kol, ignore Kol, don't think about her, and sleep.

The hardest day was Saturday, the day she would be at his fingertips again. Klaus woke up, tried to eat and failed, barely able to place cereal in his mouth before he felt like vomiting. He then painted for awhile but those random blobs of yellow started to form into human figures with enchanting smiles. Klaus groaned in exasperation before he put the paint brush down and went to the living room. If there was one thing Klaus hated more than idle chit chat it was napping but that was exactly what he proceeded to do. When he awoke it was supper time, so he headed towards the kitchen and made himself some toast. Kol entered soon after, smirking to himself because -just as Klaus had done- he'd counted down the days from that Sunday to this Saturday. Not for the same reason however.

Kol sat down beside his brother, his head tilted in the other lads direction. "So, going down to the club tonight?"

"No Kol." He stated, getting up to dump his uneaten breakfast in the garbage. The plate was placed in the sink, normally Klaus would have cleaned it soon after he had put it there but today wasn't the day for simple household chores. Kol didn't look convinced though Klaus's face was staled into a growl. "If you speak once more about it I will rip out your tongue."

That happened to stop Kol from speaking about the girl but it didn't stop him from speaking in general. He actually seemed concerned this time, "Are you alright brother?" Klaus knew that Kol had noticed his behavior, his new pattern to life that made everything a million times easier.

Klaus was looking at him through his eye lashes, he wasn't sure whether Kol seemed genuine or not though his tone conveyed something other than torment. Klaus remembered when they were younger, playing together roughly throughout the day until the sun went down and they were forced back inside. One night Klaus had injured his ankle whilst they fought in the woods, it was at least a half an hour walk back to the house, but once Kol had seen the state Klaus's ankle was in, he demanded that he carried his big brother home. No matter whether Kol woke up with a woman beside him or not, he was still the brother that walked for what seemed like ages to get Klaus back to safety, the one that would probably drop the world for his older brother. That was why Klaus knew Kol actually cared.

Licking his lips Klaus spoke, "I don't know what's wrong with me Brother. Though I doubt you'd understand."

Kol shrugged, "I've been with many girls, many nights. I know what it's like when one of them is much too good to be forgotten." He seemed so sure that he understood what Klaus was going through but every vein in Klaus's body screamed otherwise. Kol was a ladies man but he'd always gotten those women to sleep with him just for the pleasure of it. When Klaus thought of the girl he thought of her laugh, her eyes, her personality, barely the way she made his whole body feel like it was on fire.

With a shake of his head Klaus dismissed his brothers attempt to connect them. "It's not like that but your hopeful grab at a brotherly correlation has touched my heart. I'll see you later Kol." Klaus nodded his head thankfully and began his way to the front door. "Where are you rushing off to?" Kol inquired.

Klaus didn't bother turning towards the other man when he said, "Stefan and I are meeting at his flat for drinks." Then he disappeared before Kol could say anything else.

At first Klaus thought he might take a walk to Stefan's but then he decided against it when he noticed the darkness of the clouds. So instead he called a taxi, praying he didn't get the idiot he had the other day. Sometimes he wondered why anybody would become a pathetic taxi driver, but then he realized that he wanted to be an artist and the girl he was becoming obsessed with was a prostitute, so he stopped thinking about other people's life choices.

The taxi came around soon and Klaus gave a sigh of relief when it was not only the a different taxi driver, but a woman. He smiled at her, gave her the address and than he leaned back against the seat so that he was looking up at the ceiling. The woman was beautiful, long brown hair curled around her face, a chest big enough to cause Kol to faint and a smile like a movie star. She was sweet when she talked, her voice almost like honey pouring over you.

But Klaus didn't even care.

He was angry with himself for it but this woman gave him absolutely to stimulation whatsoever. Not like he would want to be with her anyways because Klaus didn't actually like many people but he should have at least been aroused. His girl was the only one that made his mind spark anymore. "Excuse me Miss." He spoke up, "Can you take me down to the club Radio instead."

She smirked at him in the rearview mirror, "Anything for you babe." Klaus held a tight lipped smile as she flattered him.

It was stupid of him to change his direction but it was getting ridiculous just how much she was inside of his head. He would pay her off and then they'd be even, he could forget her. Though part of him knew that the money wasn't the real problem. Stefan would be waiting, Klaus should just tell her to forget it, but the now familiar buildings passed by him and the feeling rising inside of his chest couldn't be ignored. The state she left him in was downright embarrassing.

They took a sharp right and nearly ran over a man smoking a cigarette on the curb. Klaus could hear the driver grumbling about idiotic pedestrians, and he had to chuckle. She seemed like his kind of person. She pulled up to the corner, turned to him and spoke quickly, "That'll be £9.71." Klaus merrily paid the woman before sliding out of the back of the taxi.

"Hey!" She called, Klaus ducked his head back into the car, "I was wondering if you'd ever like to grab some coffee."

Klaus smiled at her, "Not really a caffeine man, sorry love." He proceeded to shut the door and back away from the vehicle. He should have felt bad for lying to the girl but his head was almost pounding from events to come, he didn't need her being a distraction.

He watched her drive away, eyes roaming the way the car went until he realized exactly what he had done. He was an idiot, holding his head in his hands he nearly screamed. Klaus wasn't upset that he'd rejected the woman, he was upset he'd ended up down at Radio. He looked up and down the street, to the sidewalk, then to the sky, hoping that an answer would jump out and tackle him.

It didn't exactly push him to the ground and knock sense into him but the squeaky voice of a unknown woman rang out behind him. "Hey you, you're looking for somebody right?"

Klaus pivoted in place, spotting the brunette the voice belonged to. She came up to about his nose, thin brown hair that fell like a waterfall straight down beside her face, her cheeks was rounded but her figure was the size of Klaus's pinky. The girls eyes were brown and large, staring at him with curiosity. She was beautiful but she wasn't Klaus's type. "How did you know?" He inquired.

She laughed and Klaus noticed how she didn't have an accent, it reminded him of a certain blond. How many American people hung out around here? "Well you weren't exactly quiet the other day when you were asking about a blond girl?" She smiled like she knew some secret, Klaus was daggering her in his mind.

Though the mention of a blond woman sparked his interest. "Were you eavesdropping?" She shrugged. Klaus looked around wondering what the hell he was doing there. Talking to a stranger about, well … another stranger. "How is it you know her?"

The girl walked forward a little. "Look, I don't just give out information about my best friend, but you seem to match the description of a guy she talked about last week so I'm willing to tell you where she is." Klaus felt his heart leap when the girl spoke of his girl talking about him. She had thought of him after she'd left his flat, perhaps he wasn't crazy of thinking about her.

Klaus looked down at the girl, determined to get anything he could out of her, "Do you know where I can find her?" The girl watched him cautiously for a moment, considering giving out information.

After a moment she spoke again, "She's two blocks over near the old Church." She pointed over her shoulder. "Big white building resembling the white house but not even close to being it. You can't miss it." She eyed him up and down once more until Klaus thanked her. Their bodies collided as he tried to pass, she reached up and grabbed his shoulder to stop him. "Don't tell her I told you."

He grinned a little, one corner of his mouth turning towards the sky. "And who would you be?"

Her face did a complete turn around, instead of flashing that coy smile it was a flat out bitch face. She was having an inner turmoil about whether or not to tell him and Klaus had to give her credit. It was understandable why she'd be torn. He was a shady collage kid, no friends except his family and Stefan, who was obsessed with a hooker, not the normal run of the mill guy. Finally she huffed out, "Elena."

Klaus tipped his metaphorical hat to her and then headed off in the direction he'd pointed her. But he was halted once again when Elena yelled out, "She's not going to be easy to deal with you know." He turned around and saw that Elena looked very unhappy.

Slowly he walked back towards her, "What do you mean?"

She seemed to be regretting ever speak out as she looked towards the sidewalk. Talk bad about her friend to stranger? That just didn't seem morally right to her apparently. "She can be a pain in the ass sometimes, especially to guys she gets on the streets."

Klaus considered the information before he let out a sigh, "Well then I guess it's a good thing we met in an alley then isn't it?" Elena rolled her eyes, obviously not enjoying talking to him any more than he wanted to be talking to her. To be honest she was starting to get on his nerves.

Elena's voice was caring as she warned, "Just don't get your hopes up okay?"

He gave a sass filled grin and than he said, "I don't want to do anything other than pay the woman. You really don't have to caution me Elena." With that he spun on his heels and made his way towards the place she had pointed earlier.

His mind was whirling in a million different directions as he walked, scared shitless that she wouldn't be there and than he'd spend a whole other week going out of his mind thinking of her. He thought about what Kol would say if he found her, the tormenting and teasing. Or worse, what he'd say if she wasn't there. Forced to face another week right beside Klaus on the crazy train. An old woman walked by and gave him the stink eye as if she knew what Klaus was going to do, he ignored her, refusing to bend to the whim of a grandmother.

It wasn't until he saw the peak of the Church that Klaus realized the girl might not even want to see him. What happened if he got there and she completely rejected him? Told him that he was an idiot and shamed him into what he was thinking was stupid. Klaus tried to forget that thought because he hadn't been through all that self hatred to be barricaded from his prize in the last second.

He turned the curb, his eyes falling on pedestrians walking the streets, climbing in their cars and being essentially annoying prats. Klaus felt urged at just the sight of such simple people doing such meaningless things with their lives. Normally he'd be able to ignore them and carry on inside of his own head, but now that he was so close to her his mind was alter itself into something unknown.

Klaus walked up the street looking for any sign of a run down white house type building. There was nothing in sight for a few minutes until his eyes landed on one large house near the end of the street. It did in fact look like a less extravagant version of the United States Presidents house, the way it was built and painted were particularly accurate. But it was much smaller than the actual White House. Klaus looked at it for a little while longer until he saw the door opening and a familiar face appearing from the shadows.

His heart leaped at the sight of her, the woman who had a hand touching his heart and a laugh caught in his ear. She wasn't even trying to look beautiful but she was radiant in the fading sunlight, it spread out from where she stood and touched each crevasse of darkness that hid near her. She wore a simple black dress but it looked absolutely ravishing on her, stopping at her thighs it made her look innocent yet very seductive. Klaus could only stare as she skipped down the steps, hands digging into the purse hanging off of her shoulder.

That was the moment of truth, did he rush across the street and offer her money to get this out of his system or did he turn around and just suffer in silence until she disappeared from his memory? Klaus was never one to back down, so he licked his lips and began his stride towards the girl with no name.

She was too busy trying to find something inside of her purse she didn't notice his approach, which made things much more awkward when Klaus decided to speak up. "Ahem." He coughed. She paused, lifted her head and Klaus saw her eyes go wide with surprise. "Sorry to bother you-"

Immediately she responded, "No." Then continued to root through her bag.

Klaus felt angry. She hadn't even let him speak, hadn't given him a minute when he'd spent almost every second of every day that week thinking about her. Wishing she were close to him but not wanting her there at all. He'd tried to keep himself busy but even in his most busy of times, she managed to pop up like a bad childhood story your relatives told when you all got together. Every time. "Excuse me." He began again.

The girl flung her hands up exasperated, "What?" She asked, nearly yelling. "I said no, I'm sorry, please just go."

Klaus shook his head, not giving up that easily. "I didn't even speak yet." He protested.

She cocked her head to the side, "Do you really think I'm that stupid?" On the contrary. Klaus thought she was dashing, spectacular, sharp tongued, brave, illuminating, breath-taking, but never stupid. "I'm not sleeping with you again okay? It was a stupid decision on a stupid night. Get over it."

He didn't want to sleep with her again but he had to admit that part of him felt slightly disappointed. "No, I - listen I wasn't even planning on coming down here but to be completely honest I couldn't get you out of my head." She didn't look impressed. "I thought perhaps it was guilt so I've come to offer you pay for our night together."

This time she gave an empty chuckle, "You can't afford me buddy, don't bother." Apparently Klaus didn't look convinced that he didn't have the money, so she crossed her arms and said, "On the weekends I work the streets because it's a nice break. During the week I'm at the top of the list for celebrities. Professional athletes, artists, actors, politicians, you name it. I'm wanted." This time she looked at him with pity, like she wanted to do something but couldn't. "This isn't the first time somebody couldn't stop thinking about me. Give it three weeks and if you're still thinking of me then, well maybe I'll help."

Klaus didn't know how to swallow what she had just said but he managed to nod his head slowly. The girl was a prostitute to the stars? Who does that for a career? Out of all the men that Klaus had seen plastered all over London, half of them had probably slept with the blond haired beauty. She had said others were obsessed with her. He was no different than that thug he'd protected her from at the bar only a week ago. No, he was better than that guy, much better. Klaus had family issues, people issues, rage issues and much more, but he would never attack a woman like that. But she didn't see that, Klaus was just another guy to her, and it shattered his heart more than it should have.

As he began to walk away he hoped the feeling of the world being ripped out from under his feet would dissipate but it only intensified. Especially when she called him back, hope sprung to the surface but didn't stay there long. She seemed apologetic that she had caught his attention once more. "Can I ask who told you, you could to find me here?"

His voice was empty, lifeless, drained of any emotion. He remembered back to his earlier promise but it hardly seemed like an important one to keep. "Elena." She didn't look surprised which had to mean that Elena sent guys roaming around the streets after her all the time.

Klaus wanted to turn away but she was looking at him with those eyes, so young yet so experienced, she was wearing that god damn dress, looking like an angel standing in the middle of the street and he couldn't seem to commanded his feet to move. He knew that he'd never have her again but she would always be there, pressing down on his thoughts as if she were literally beside him, so Klaus did the only thing he could think of. "What is your name?"

She raised an eyebrow, "My name?"

"Yes." He clarified. "My name is Klaus Mikaelson, I've been thinking about you all week and if you don't mind I'd like to put a name to the face just for a bit of sanity." He knew that he sounded slightly rude but she didn't seem too effected by the sudden change in tone.

After hesitating for a moment she said, "Caroline Forbes."

"Is that just a fake name you tell people?" He wasn't going to be dealing with any of that stage name bullshit. Not then.

She shook her head, "That's my real name, my fake name is much less exciting."

Klaus knew that she didn't mean him harm, that he shouldn't be so bitter and bothered by what she was saying. She didn't think about him the way he thought about her, and she didn't want his money. Klaus knew she had a right to her own body, even if he wished it weren't true. "I'll take your word for it Caroline." He offered her a sincere smile -which she reciprocated- and then he started his walk back towards Radio.

If his head had been hurting before it was absolutely pounding now. Not from the very loud sounds of auto tuned garbage emanating from Radio, not from car horns, or drunk teenagers, accompanied by drunk adults. No none of these things were driving him mad, it was her. Her and her perfect face, perfect hair, dress, voice, eyes, smile, way of doing just about everything. Klaus never let his guard down, never let himself be anything but the Alpha Male, but with her all of the cards were off the table. She was a completely different game than anything he'd ever played before.

He walked down the street and passed the bar, his hands were deep in his pockets as he strolled, eyes glue to the sidewalk. As he kept on his way, he thought about what had just happened, still angry, still confused, but he smiled as he said, "Caroline."

The name rolled off his tongue quiet well.


	4. Chapter 4: Give Into Me

**Thank you to everybody that has read, commented, bookmarked and favourited this story! You're all awesome! I love seeing your thoughts about what I write so keep them coming! Hope you enjoy this :)**

Klaus sat unsettled in his chair as his professor droned on and on about something Klaus didn't really give a damn about. That was of what school really was wasn't it? Kids that think they already know everything so they don't think they need to be there when in reality the teacher is helping them thrive in life. Klaus listened through the war of trying to keep his eyes open and falling asleep at his desk. Then the teacher spoke something that caught his attention.

As a last effort to capture the whole class in his speech the professor yelled, "Your assignment!" They all looked up. "Will be to paint or draw something that means something to you and would only make sense to you. Don't paint a dog, that's not meaningful. It's fucking dog for Christ sake!" Klaus had to admire his complete lack of love towards the human race. "Make me question who you are by making me see something I wouldn't understand." He eyed the class, seeing every head turned towards him. "Now get the hell out of here and go work!"

Klaus wasted no time in grabbing his backpack and running out of the classroom. The fresh air ran into him like a ton of bricks and he loved it, soaking it in like a kitchen sponge would soap. He was pushed slightly by the force of another human knocking into his shoulder; he looked to see a small blond girl passing by apologizing.

That's when he forgot about the fresh air and once again only saw her. Caroline. It had been two weeks since Klaus had spoken to her down at the smaller version of a white house. He'd spent most days just repeating his schedule over and over as he had before, trying to get her out of his god damn mind and sometimes she did, but then he'd see a blond girl and she'd be there again. Fresh and smiling.

She had rejected him, telling him to wait three weeks and than come back and see her if the problem persisted, as if she was some kind of Doctor. Klaus had hoped she'd be out of his head within the first week but she wasn't. Not in his sketches, not in his head. By the second week he'd stopped thinking of her as much but she still had that looming presence over him and it'd come back in waves.

There was a silent hope that she'd disappear by three weeks, but an even quieter answer that said no, she wouldn't.

He returned to his flat and headed straight to his art room to begin his project. Kol was probably still sleeping so that gave him about another two hours of silence. He picked up his paint brush, twiddling it between his fingers and thought about what he was supposed to draw or paint. An idea sparked in his brain and he quickly got to work.

First he started off by just painting a small black shape near the bottom of the canvas, forming it into body and than a head, slightly resembling a cave painting of a person. Around the human figure there were lighter tones, shielding the person from all of the world's darkness. The next layer was painted with charcoal black, trying to damage the light that had been protecting the man. Like shadows in the dark Klaus painted grey faces that looked lost, hurt and broken. It seemed appropriate to him.

The painted represented him self all along, shrouded in the light that was the beauty of being by oneself. He enjoyed the solitude that this character had when he was by himself in the glow. The black around him was the rest of the world with their tormented souls, screams of pain, bitching and whining. Every single thing that Klaus hated about humanity shoved into one little semi circle of black paint.

Klaus studied his work and realized how easy it would be for the professor to figure out what Klaus had meant. He was a smart man and this painting was like reading the morning paper to him. What was different about Klaus that nobody else would know? Or at least not his professor.

A voice arose from behind him catching him off guard, "You've got to lighten up brother that is depressing."

Klaus rolled his eyes, dropping his paint brush back onto the supply bench, "Get out." He instructed his voice filled with sass and anger.

Kol did the exact opposite; instead he walked towards the older Mikaelson and rested his elbow on Klaus's shoulder. Admiring the painting further. "Why does that face resemble me?"

Smirking Klaus answered, "Perhaps because I modelled it after you."

Kol shook his head sighing, "I'm much more handsome."

Klaus turned around, knocking Kol's elbow away from him as he began to shove his brother out the door. Klaus followed behind him feeling the thumping of Kol's chest as he chuckled at Klaus's anger.

They sat down on the couch together, neither one bothering to reach for the remote because the chances of there being anything good on TV were slim to none. Klaus sighed and looked back over to the wide open door of his art room. Originally he had been planning on drawing Caroline because she was the thing he couldn't explain about himself so his professor would never understand, but he decided against it when he remembered she was a prostitute and somebody may recognize her.

Kol moved on the couch so that his feet plopped down on top of Klaus's lap. He only did it to irk his brother and it was damn well working. Klaus pretended that it wasn't bugging him but the hatred in his eyes was almost too intense to ignore. Even though Kol should have been scared he was smirking like a madman. "So," he called out, grasping Klaus's attention, "my rich friend Edward is throwing this huge ball type party and I'm allowed to bring somebody. I was going to bring a date but you need to get out so want to come along?"

"No." Klaus immediately responded, not even looking in Kol's direction. Instead he was focusing his attention to the wall, pondering what else to add to his painting.

The pout on Kol's face could almost be heard. "Brother please, don't make me beg you like the last time."

With a distant chuckle Klaus muttered, "Because that went so well the first time."

Kol pulled his legs quickly off of his brothers' lap which purposely caused pain to Klaus. He grabbed at the spot where Kol had kicked him, shooting a glare towards the younger brother. "Klaus please, just come. It's not my fault you met a prostitute and who knows, maybe this time you'll actually fall for the woman and she'll fall back!"

As much as Klaus hated to admit it, Kol had a point. Maybe meeting another woman was the perfect way to distract himself from Caroline. He sucked in his pride and agreed to go with his brother, "Fine, at least this time it's not a club."

Kol raised an eyebrow, "Mate, you know what kind of girls go to a rich ball?" Klaus shook his head, "Cougars." Kol winked.

"You're repugnant." Klaus stood up, and began his angry swaggering walk away from his brother. Laughter could be heard in his wake that could only come from Kol. Part of Klaus was intrigued by how his brother planned to get with an older woman when he acted like a child nearly every moment of the day but it was going to be hilarious nonetheless.

He sat on his bed for a minute, just admiring the room in which he lived. White walls that were decorated in his own paintings and drawings. A double bed, a large book shelf and whatever some people considered necessities. His sketch pad was sticking out from the place that he kept it in, Klaus sometimes looked over the work he had done previously and so he picked it up. He remembered drawing those buildings, those people, and especially that girl. Caroline.

At that time he had at least six pages covered in different sketches of her, sometimes just her face shape with loose hair, sometimes just her eyes looking at him as if he was her prize and glory. The more he stared at the drawings the more Klaus realized that Caroline was the one thing he couldn't explain, the thing his professor wouldn't be able to figure out and even if she was recognized she was the right thing to paint. Though he couldn't put her whole face in the painting so he settled for just the eyes.

Klaus made his way back out to the living room where Kol no longer sat, he wasn't in the kitchen either it seemed, which was fine with the older Mikaelson. He made his way into the art room where his unfinished painting remained, picking up his brush he began to paint one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen in his life. Caroline's eyes looking up at him from the brightness that surrounded him.

He smirked to himself before heading back to his room to try and find something suitable to wear for Kol's ball.

When he once again emerged from his bedroom he was wearing a suit, completed with a blue stripped tie. Kol was standing in the hallway already, wearing a similar outfit to his except his tie was red and his coat was slung over his shoulder. He looked Klaus up and down, obviously impressed. "You clean up good brother."

He couldn't stop himself from smiling, dimples prominent on his face. "Let's just get this over with." As much as he enjoyed being complimented he hated having to go out and socialize.

The brothers walked towards the front door together, Kol's arm slung over Klaus's shoulders, tugging him around jokingly. "If you don't get smashed and laid tonight than you owe me another night." Klaus didn't say anything but he made an oath to himself that he would not pay Kol back if this evening did not go over well.

They got there almost half an hour later when the party had already begun. The mansion was pure white, and looked almost like a church. People were filing into the house in a wave, gowns of turquoise, purple, blue, anything that these girls thought made them stand out. All of the men looked strict, like there was a stick shoved up their asses, though Klaus doubted he looked much different. Kol was already winking at older woman as they walked by, and they seemed strangely flattered by it.

Kol leaned in closely as they made their way into the mansion, "I'm a young, charming, British man. Nobody can resist me."

"I can." He mumbled, but it was lost in a sea of fancy dresses and strong cologne. The inside of the house was much grander than the outside, white walls lined with gold, chandeliers that belonged in a Disney film, pieces of artwork that Klaus would have killed to own and not to mention that each room was the size of a football field. "What kinds of friends do you have?" Klaus asked surprised.

Kol spotted a nearby waiter and picked up two champagne glasses for him and his brother. Klaus happily accepted, nearly chugging down the whole drink. "Rich ones." Kol sounded smug, "That's why I fit in."

Klaus shook his head, admiring the passing woman, "You're not rich Kol that would be our parents." He shrugged it off; as far as Kol was concerned he had made all of their families earnings. His face brightened when he caught he eye of another gentleman across the room. The man waved to them before making his way over.

Klaus looked him up and down, a tailored suit that looked like it cost a fortune, brown hair slicked back with gel, glistening eyes and sparkling white teeth. Stereotypical rich man. "Hey Kol!" He gave Kol a quick hug before turning towards Klaus, "You must be the brother." Surprisingly he had an American accent, making Klaus feel as though he was being invaded by them.

"So you've heard of me? Fantastic." He didn't have time for petty chit chat with Kol's friend.

Irritated Kol said, "Ignore my brother Jeremy he's a bit of a prat sometimes." Klaus smiled at the younger lad but didn't do anything to clear his name. Ever since he was younger he'd been called that by nearly every one of his siblings, plus his father. It was old news. "Where's Edward?"

"Out on the floor with his lady friend." Jeremy chuckled; wiggling his eyebrows when he spoke of the woman. She must have been some sort of beautiful floozy they liked to fantasize about whenever Edward wasn't around.

Klaus observed his brother in this ballroom habitat, with his charming smile, quick retorts and how he seemed to always have a friend. He didn't know where the hell Kol even met these people but he seemed to know a lot of them. Girls were nearly throwing themselves at him with squeals of glee as they hugged him, and Kol loved every minute of it. That disgusting rumble inside of him started to act up, it strangely only happened whenever Kol was around.

Klaus noticed that his champagne was running low, he looked around for a waiter but they all seemed to have disappeared. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a bar so he made his way over. If he was going to survive the night he would need another drink. The bartender was mixing a cocktail for a perky blond at the counter and Klaus tried his best not to look at her, he was determined to get his mind off of Caroline. "What can I get you buddy?"

"Something to make this night tolerable." He spat out immediately.

The guy laughed, "Rum it is." Klaus watched him make the drink because even though this wasn't club, you could never be too careful. The guy handed him the Rum and Klaus spotted his name tag. It read Jim. "So I've never seen you here before." He commented.

Klaus raised his eyebrows, taking a long drink of his alcohol. "I was dragged here by my brother Kol." That perked Jim's interest. "I'm suspecting you know my brother?"

Jim shrugged, picking up a dish cloth and attempting to dry some shot glasses that looked to have been at least thirty years old with the amount of scratches they had covering them. "He and Edward hang out a lot. I usually do the drinks for all of the parties. They trust me." That reassured Klaus a little more on the no slipping things in his drink thing. "Kol is ... different."

That made the older Mikaelson chuckle as it was probably the biggest understatement of the year. Suddenly Kol's voice was calling him, so Klaus gripped his glass and made his way through the swarm of bodies to find Kol. "What is it?" He inquired with an annoyed tone.

"This," Kol brushed his arm across the open air so that he was pointing in the direction of a man, "is the host. Edward."

Klaus's jaw dropped to the floor as Edward moved closer, smiling dashingly in a suit that looked like it could cost the equivalent of one of the mansions rooms. Though it wasn't Edward that had his attention, the man was obviously handsome, extremely rich and no doubt an asshole, but it was the woman on his arm that made Klaus's heart thump out of his chest. A skinny, young blond with the face of an angel had her arm laced through Edward's. She was smiling at them all with her eyes shining like stars, her hair was pulled back into a braided bun, and her dress was draping towards the floor the color of the midnight sky. Nobody seemed to notice her stunning beauty but Klaus couldn't take his eyes off of her. Mostly because she was Caroline Forbes.

"Boys," Edward nodded at them in greeting, "Meet my lovely date. Amanda." Klaus felt his face flush with anger when he realized that she had been lying to him that night on the street. Caroline wasn't her real name. Or was it? Had she given Edward a fake name?

Caroline smiled that prize winning grin and wiggled her fingers in hello, "Hey boys, how's it going?" Her eyes locked with Klaus's for a moment and he could have sworn she'd threatened him to keep his mouth shut. Just in a single look.

Jeremy looked excited, "Another American! Perfect!"

"Paws off Buddy she's mine." Edward shot Jeremy a glare. There was an anger inside of Klaus that boiled whenever he heard Edward calling Caroline his. This night was supposed to be about him getting over the blond, not about him getting all defensive about her.

Winking Jeremy said, "Got it." He still managed to smirk at Caroline like she was a piece of meat. "I should be going to find my girlfriend anyways. Bonnie's a witch when she's angry." With that he disappeared behind gowns of pink and suits of money.

Edward looked at Caroline, smiling down fondly at her, "We better get dancing, don't want that dress to be for nothing."

She giggled but it sounded wrong, it wasn't the laughing that Klaus had come to know and love, the sound that was stuck in his head for weeks. "Edward was generous enough to buy this for me, a little gift. Isn't he sweet?" This time when she looked at them she avoided Klaus's eyes.

Kol seemed thankful for the open opportunity to look her up and down, "You look fantastic." Klaus placed a hand on his brothers' shoulder, signalling that they should walk away. "Well have fun you two!" Kol got the hint.

Klaus was filled to the brim with anger as he began to walk in the opposite direction, his face with burned red at the thought of Caroline being in the hands of that British douche bag. Kol didn't seem to notice as they strolled towards the other side of the room. Klaus downed what was left in his glass and then stopped at the bar to drop the empty cup off. He didn't want to think about her, he wanted to drown his sorrows in booze and whatever else would help.

Kol decided to notice Klaus's struggle just then. "Hey there, what's wrong?"

Klaus didn't want to tell his brother that the woman was Caroline because if he did that than he'd be breaking his silent promise he'd just made to the girl. Even if she hadn't said anything Klaus saw that look in her gorgeous eyes, the one that told him to keep his trap shut. "Just not feeling it tonight."

The music reminded Klaus of a party from the nineteen-forties and it was nice. He always had a thing for old fashion music instead of the eccentric pop music that people usually had blasting through their speakers. Kol leaned back against the bar and peered out at the group of dancers, Klaus refused to do so because he might spot her. "So that girl Edward had with him was hot right?"

Klaus spoke lowly, "She was perfect." Kol didn't seem to hear him. "I've got to excuse myself. I need some fresh air." He left before Kol could try to stop him or even worse, follow him out.

He had hoped that Caroline wouldn't ruin his night but she had managed to do so. However instead of showing up in his mind, she actually showed up at the party with another man. Not that she was his but Klaus hated the way Edward's hand touched her body, the way she smiled up at him with that sweet grin, the one that could melt the heart of any abominable snowman.

The hustle and bustle around him caused the doors to become blocked at the front so Klaus decided to take the back exit. He looked around and spotted the kitchen people heading towards a black door, once they opened it wide Klaus saw the edges of a pine tree swaying in the wind. He manoeuvred his way through the crowd until he was right beside the door, but the call of a voice drowned out the sound of the music, the people and Klaus could only focus on her voice.

He turned to the left and spotted a small hallway off of the main ballroom. Klaus ducked inside of it, flattening himself against the wall as he listened. Edward sounded irritated, "What kind of stunt was that?" He asked through gritted teeth.

She sounded so small when she spoke, "I tried not to say anything embarrassing." Caroline was looking up at him like he was about to stomp her under his foot.

Edward was pinching the bridge of his nose, "And look how great that turned out."

"Edward-" But the rest of the sentence was cut off by a clean slap to the face. Caroline gripped her the place of impact as tears formed in her eyes, and a red hand mark began to appear across her cheek. Edward walked away hastily before Klaus could actually do anything. She fell back against the wall once Edward left and began to cry silently, thinking she was alone.

Klaus didn't even think before he was rushing over to her, "Caroline." She looked up and instead of looking relieved that somebody cared, she looked down right angry.

"Seriously?" She yelled. "Why the hell are you here? Can't you just leave me alone for two minutes?" Caroline began to stand, only stopping to gather the contents of her purse up because they had fallen onto the floor. Klaus opened his mouth to speak, eyes focused on the mark Edward had left on her. "I don't need the sympathy, I don't need anything from you god damn it!"

Her foundation tumbled towards the ground, which she scrambled to grab but Klaus beat her to it. She ripped it out of his hands, not even slightly thankful. "Why would you let him do that to you?"

"God!" She rolled her eyes, finally able to push her purse up over her shoulder. "It's the job, he's a good payer, and I deal with it. Now leave me alone." Caroline swivelled on her heel and started to walk away.

"You deserve better than that." Klaus called after her.

"You don't know me!" She just couldn't seem to walk away from him whenever he argued with her, and Klaus loved that. He wanted her there as long as he could keep her there. "I'm a bitch, I'm a horrible, awful girl and us hooking up once doesn't give you a right to know anything about me."

He shook his head, "I don't have to know anything about you to know you deserve better Caroline."

She shook her head, "I didn't tell you my name so that you could use it like that." Klaus noticed the break in her voice, she wasn't angry anymore she was slowly cracking. It pained him. They just looked at each other for what seemed like years, neither one wanting to break the contact but neither one wanting to keep it either. "Listen, thanks for caring but, please, stop."

Klaus shrugged his shoulders defeated, "I'm trying."

She nodded her head slightly before she walked away. This time Klaus actually allowed her to leave; he didn't seem a point in keeping her around when she obviously wanted to go home. It seemed like forever before Klaus himself also left, taking the back exit so that Kol wouldn't notice him. Though this time he wasn't just getting fresh air, he was ready to go home.

Once he arrived at his flat at one of clock he headed straight to his art room like he seemed to do so often these days. He didn't know what he wanted to paint but he just started doing it, shapes, images that flashed into his mind, Caroline. By the time he checked the clock again it was two thirty in the morning. Kol still wasn't home, so he was either passed out with some girl, or drunk out of his mind dancing.

Klaus sat down on the couch, examining the paint splatters all over his white button down shirt. He felt stupid for not covering himself up because he didn't own another one. He supposed that Kol owned hundreds so it wasn't that bad of a situation.

The door began to shake as somebody on the other end knocked like a lunatic. Kol had probably forgotten his key. Klaus walked as slowly as he could, enjoying the pain that the waiting brought to his brother. However when he opened the door it wasn't Kols' face that was looking back at him, it was Carolines'.

She was biting her lip, looking anywhere but his face, her arms wrapped around her petite waist. Klaus noticed she was still wearing that damn midnight blue dress. "Caroline?" He asked shocked.

Her shoulders that were once hunched, dropped down, "I shouldn't be here I'm sorry." Caroline tried to walk away but Klaus grabbed a hold of her arm, stopping her from leaving. Immediately he released her, thinking about the way Edward had so angrily slapped her previously that night.

"Just tell me what you're doing here."

She fidgeted slightly, fingers intertwining with each other. "I just-" Caroline took a deep breath, "Well you're the only person to actually care when somebody's slapped me besides my friends and I wanted to say thank you."

Klaus smiled, "I guess I have a thing for protecting you." She raised an eyebrow, "Not in a creepy sense of course."

"You know, I could really use some help with forgetting tonight." Caroline looked at him through her eyelashes, smirking like she knew exactly how she was going to be the death of him. She moved closer and ran a hand up his arm, "I could use your help."

Klaus did waste a moment to capture her in a kiss, pulling her inside of the apartment in a swift movement. He'd been thinking of kissing those perfect lips, that beautiful face, of running his hands through her hair once more. He pressed her against the front door as she latched her legs around his waist. Her laugh sounded real this time, the sound he'd come to know and love was right in his ear, raining down on him blissfully.

Their kisses were passionate and needy, Klaus was scared that if he didn't put enough into it she was run out the door. Her hands were fumbling with the buttons in his shirt, they were difficult and so instead of taking her time, she ripped down the middle, popping nearly all of the buttons off. Klaus should have cared but the only thing that mattered in the moment was her.

Clumsily he carried her over to the island in the kitchen only ten steps away; she was holding him while she giggled at him, his back hitting one of the stools. He set her down, but her legs remained around him. "Easy Love." He cautioned when she looked about ready to burst at the seams from laughter. She answered in kisses which he happily returned.

Klaus ran a hand up her thigh the material of the dress getting in the way. "Do you like this dress?" She shook her head. "Good." He whispered into her lips as he ripped the material in half from the waist down. A little revenge that apparently made her even hungrier for him. She grasped at his hair and brought his lips down to hers, capturing him in one of the most amazing kisses in his existence.

They kissed necks, chins, cheeks, lips, anywhere they could find until both of them were completely naked, worked up out of their minds. Caroline moaned as he entered her, it was a sound Klaus had been longing to hear. She rested her head onto his shoulder and each time he thrust into her she bit down into his skin. Klaus kissed the side of her neck, sucking on the exposed skin.

As she reached her climax she let out a groan of pleasure, Klaus pulled her face up to his and began kissing every inch of her perfection. He knew she'd be gone by tomorrow so why waste the moment?

They were both breathing heavily, clinging to each other in the aftermath of what they had done. Caroline laughed, "I'm sorry we did that on the counter."

Klaus joined her in her act, finding it rather amusing. "I'm not. Hope Kol eats there in the morning." She was smiling at him, chest rising and falling with every breath. Just then the handle on the front door began to jiggle and both of their eyes went wide. "Shit." He muttered.

Caroline slid off of the counter and helped Klaus to gather their clothing; together they ran towards his bedroom, hoping Kol would be too drunk to realize anything was going on. They shut the door of his bedroom slowly, trying not to cause too much noise and then they locked eyes. Caroline had her hand over her mouth, trying to stop herself from laughing but it was a lost cause.

Klaus didn't care that Kol was suddenly in the apartment; he pulled Caroline close to him and kissed her again. He was thrilled that she decided to kiss back, but then she shoved him away from her, towards the bed.

So much for forgetting her.


	5. Chapter 5: Treacherous

**THANK YOU SO MUCH! You guys are awesome for actually reading this?! I mean, I know this isn't the perfect story but it's nice to know some people enjoy it and your reviews motivate me more!**

-o-

Klaus could feel the sun against his leg that stuck out through the bed sheets, his whole body felt slightly bruised as well but with the memories of what had happened the previous night he felt it was worth it. Caroline had been all over him, he had been all over her and it was a little slice of heaven in one bedroom in London. He enjoyed her while he could, knowing full well that when his heavily lidded eyes popped open she would be gone.

He yawned, squishing his face into his pillow for a brief moment and than propped himself up on his elbows. His neck cracked when he moved. Slowly he began to sit up but froze when he noticed a skinny blond standing at the foot of his bed, she had her back to him because she was looking at his artwork. Her body was being covered by Klaus's bed sheet, her hair falling in tendrils down her back. Klaus had thought he'd seen the most beautiful thing in the world when he saw her face in the alley, but Caroline in the sunlight, basking in the glow of the after morning was altogether angelic.

He watched her for a moment before reality smacked him upside the head and he cleared his throat to get her attention. Caroline spun delicately on her heel, smiling a little embarrassed. "I was just admiring your work."

That made Klaus blush, "It's nothing that deserves praise, these are all things I've done when I got bored." Caroline's eyes looked wide as she peered around the room once more. Klaus noticed there was a slit in the bed sheet that showed off her bare skin which didn't help with his already morning struggles.

Caroline let her hand touch the corner of a sketch he'd done of a woman and her son walking down the road. She let out a breath, "I can't draw stick people correctly."

Klaus smirked at the mini victory he had because he was actually better than her at something. "To be honest I didn't really think you'd be here when I woke up." That broke her from her trance; she turned to look at him with a sheepish grin.

The bed sheet pulled up around her as she took a seat on the edge of his bed, letting her finger trace shapes on the mattress. "Yeah well I thought I should thank you for helping me with those ass holes twice." Her voice sounded faint and Klaus was certain she'd never done this whole staying until they awoke thing.

He shrugged, "Honestly Sweetheart last night was thanks enough."

That made her smile, Caroline let their eyes lock together and Klaus was captured in fascination. "You're one of the only guys that has actually treated me like I had feelings." Gently she touched his forearm. "Any girl would be lucky to have you."

Laughing he replied, "I don't know about that but thank you." Caroline grinned. "So do you want breakfast?"

Shaking her head, she stood and began to search for her clothing, flung off to the sides mercilessly in the riot of the night before. "I shouldn't stay; Elena and Katherine will wonder-"

"Please?" Klaus used his best puppy dog eyes to convince her. "I have leftovers."

She sighed merrily, "Well how can I refuse?" Quickly she dropped the sheet and began to dress herself. Klaus looked away, scared of her spotting his already uncomfortable state and teasing him. She was a definite weakness of his. "Are we going?" He risked a glance at her to find that she was already once again clothed.

Klaus nodded, "Of course."

Her lips turned upward as she spoke, "You're getting dressed first right? I'll just stand in the hallway then." Klaus was frightened for a moment that Kol would turn up and harass her into leaving. "It'll give you a chance to fix that." She winked at him before leaving.

As much as he had tried to hide it, Klaus was not immune to the betrayal of the male morning boner.

Klaus slipped on an old pair of jeans, a white v-neck shirt and met Caroline out in the hallway. She was leaning against the wall with her eyes closed; apparently she hadn't heard Klaus come out because she hadn't moved. Her dress was ripped from the waist down -because of him- which made her look frazzled and to be honest, she wouldn't be able to leave like that. "That dress is horrid." He commented.

She popped open one eye to glare at him. "Not my fault."

Klaus smirked at himself, "Well you can borrow a shirt if that'd make you more comfortable," he shrugged, "though I'm sure my brother will still harass you no matter what you're wearing."

Confirming her understanding with a head nod she said, "Good to know. I guess I'll take the shirt than." Klaus retraced his steps back into the bedroom and grabbed her, his old Ramones shirt he hadn't worn since high school. She took it laughing, running a hand over the white lettering. "My dad used to listen to them all the time when he lived with us."

"What?" He was caught off guard by the sudden spurt of personal information she had given out.

Caroline noticed her mistake and covered her mouth with her hand, as if that would stop him from hearing. "I didn't mean to say that." She tried smiling at him but Klaus saw the guilt behind her eyes. "I'm just going to change."

Caroline dropped the dress in the middle of the hallway, causing Klaus to look around in alert in case Kol jumped out. However, before anybody saw her she was pulling the shirt over her head and turning around in a circle to show her self off. "It looks perfect."

She snickered, "Because you can see my ass."

"Only half way."

Playfully she slapped him as he brushed by and for a moment Klaus forget about whom she was and what she did. Her smile was glowing like the sun on an early Sunday morning and in that few seconds it didn't matter to him that she was a prostitute. But then reality set in and he remembered their situation. He was a hook up that didn't mean anything to her.

Klaus got to work with reheating leftover from the other night, chicken and rice that he'd made when Kol was drunk out of his mind and Klaus decided to try and be a responsible big brother. Caroline sat in his usual stool, tracing shapes against the counter which Klaus had noticed she liked to do often. "So where did you-"

Caroline shook her head before he could finish, "I didn't mean to blurt that thing about my dad out but I'd rather not share personal details." Klaus gave her a sassy expression before turning to take the food out of the microwave. Caroline opened her mouth in shock at him.

He handed her the plate of food which she happily accepted, letting a moan escape her lips as she took a bite of rice. "This is really good. Did you make it?"

Klaus leaned in front of her against the island, "Yes I did, but to be honest I didn't believe my brother when he told me it was good, he was pissed drunk."

She raised an eyebrow, placing another spoonful into her mouth with the same satisfied expression. "Well it's wonderful." He felt his heart leap a little when she complimented him.

Klaus hated himself because he wasn't one to like people but this girl was getting in under his skin, making him act nice and caring, as if he was a good person. The thought itself was laughable. Klaus was rude to most, sure he could charm the pants off somebody if he had to but most of the time his head was pounding from the sound of idiotic conversations around him.

From down the hall the noise of a half awakened Kol found them. He appeared almost if by magic in the doorway, rubbing his eyes clean of the sleep in the corners. At first he ignored Caroline sitting on Klaus's stool, even though she'd noticed him and was smiling waiting for him to realize who she was. Klaus on the other hand froze, thinking about all the ridicule Caroline was about to endure. Kol grabbed the cereal from the cupboard, a bowl from another and than began to poor. When he went to retrieve the milk that was when a perky blond caught his eye. "Amanda?" He asked surprised.

The fact that Kol still thought Caroline was named Amanda made Klaus smile. Caroline waved at him, swallowing her bite of rice. "Hello Kol." She said politely. Kol looked at Klaus with pride.

"Brother!" He exclaimed, slapping Klaus on the shoulder, which made him flinch away.

He saw Caroline chuckle, "Actually my name is Caroline." Kol obviously wasn't prepared for that information because he spat out his bite of cereal when she told him. Chunks of cheerios were now glued to the walls, the floor, and the cupboard, it made Klaus gag as he swept his eyes around the scene. Caroline on the other hand was holding in a fit of laughter, complete with her signature smile that made Klaus's dignity nonexistent.

When Kol turned around, milk was dripping down his chin before falling onto his old Batman t-shirt and than drying. Though the younger brother never lost his wide eyes as he looked back and forth between the both of them. "You're joking right?" He asked.

She pouted her lips in a _'not really' _expression while she shook her head. "Glad to know Klaus speaks of me."

"Speaks of you? Well he-"

"That is enough Kol!" Klaus yelled, fingers tightening on the edges of counter in anger.

Kol placed his hands on his hips as he gave Klaus a congratulatory expression. Klaus hadn't realized that he was this angry with his brother, but he supposed he should have since the little bastard had been bugging him since they were toddlers. Kol admired Klaus, and tormented him all the same. Klaus had been a bit of trouble maker for their sister Rebekah, their older brothers Finn and Elijah, but Kol had a thing for Klaus. Henrik was the youngest and nobody really paid him much attention because when he was born they all already had their own favourite to pick on. That was probably why he was the most mentally stable out of them all.

Caroline slipped off the chair while Klaus and Kol had a subconscious stare down. As soon as her feet landed on the ground Klaus snapped out of his anger bubble and looked at the blond woman wearing his t-shirt. "I should go." She sighed, "My friends are probably wondering where I am."

Kol chortled, "Doubt it." Klaus smacked him upside the head, which he was in desperate need of. Kol whined about it for a moment but he quickly got over it whenever Caroline bent down to put on her heels and Klaus's shirt rode up her back so her ass was on display for them both to see. "Do you really have to go Sweetheart?" He asked, offering a cocky smirk, "Your services could be needed again."

Caroline straightened the shirt and looked at Kol. She didn't look hurt or upset like most women would; instead she looked at him like he was some sort of lost creature. Perhaps that's why Klaus didn't interfere in the confrontation; Caroline could hold her own quite well. "You Sir," She retaliated, opening the door in the process, "would have to pay for me."

Kol seemed thoroughly impressed by how much sass Caroline carried around in her slim figure. She laughed it off and was about to leave but she stopped. "Um, thanks Klaus for everything."

He bowed his head to her quickly but when his eyes scanned over her again he realized something that was painfully obvious, "Do you want trousers?" She looked down at her bare legs and bounced her shoulder uncaringly. "Alright than well I'll see you maybe."

She smiled, "Well the girls and I were thinking of heading down to Radio tonight … if you wanted to come, that'd be fine." Caroline was leaning against the door, looking exceptionally seductive and Klaus would have taken her right then and there if he had been allowed to.

Without missing a beat Kol jumped in front of his brother, standing between him and the door frame where Caroline perched. "We'd love to."

She seemed to be holding back a nasty comment when she said, "Alright, I'll be seeing both of you then, we're meeting around ten." Waving them goodbye she closed the door.

Klaus was prepared to rip off his brothers' head, but Kol wrestled him into a rib crushing hug as soon as the door was shut. He was swaying them both back and forth merrily as Klaus wiggled around trying to escape. It was definitely one of his least proud moments. When Kol finally set him down Klaus was less angry and more embarrassed. "You fucked a prostitute twice without paying? Mate you're my hero! And she's hot, like a ten out ten!"

Klaus tried to ignore him as he got to work wiping up the spilt cereal on the ground. "Well thank you for not treating her like an ass brother." He said through clenched teeth.

Kol chuckled flustered, rubbing the back of his neck, "Was I that bad?"

"I had every thought to shove your head through the wall." He said in a dead voice. Kol slowly back away from him, making his way around to the other side of the island so that he could take a seat. Klaus was about to get up and rip his brother to shreds when he suddenly stopped. Kol was sitting in the exact spot him and Caroline had, had sex on. Klaus smirked and than began to clean again before Kol could notice his change in attitude.

Klaus finished with cleaning the mess, threw the cloth in the laundry basket and than headed to the living room so that he could spread out on the couch and watch rubbish on television. Kol had already been sitting in the chair, reading a comic book that reminded Klaus of when they were teenagers. Kol would sneak down to the comic store after super and purchase whatever one he could find as long as it wasn't too expensive and than he'd race home so that their mother wouldn't find out. Klaus and Kol had shared a room for some time, always mixing up clothes, school work and other small trinkets. Klaus had spent many nights doodling in his sketch pad while his brother read his comics out loud. Sometimes Kol still liked to tell Klaus what was going on, and Klaus would just draw as his brother babbled on, it was a nice reminder of the past, except now they were grown ups and Kol didn't have to sneak out to buy them.

As hard as Klaus tried to keep his eyes on the screen he couldn't do it because all he could think about was Caroline. If anything, getting a second dose of her was worse than getting only one, because now the feeling of her was fresher in his memory. Every laugh, her smile, her playful banter was still clinging to the walls of the apartment, lingering in all of the small cracks waiting for jump out. Klaus settled himself down in the cushions as far as he could go but nothing he did seemed capable of breaking the spell she had on him.

Kol peered up from the top of his interesting read, cocking an eyebrow inquisitively, "What are you thinking about so hard?"

Klaus aggressively groaned, "Nothing Kol." That didn't seem to be good enough of an explanation. "Well at least nothing your inconsequential mind could understand so please bug off." Kol resumed his reading which came as a shock to Klaus.

There was then the sound of a familiar ring and Klaus sat up to look around for his cellular device. He found it placed on the coffee table. "Hello?"

Stefan spoke clearly on the other line even if the sound of a busy street was behind him. "Klaus, what's going on?"

As much as Klaus enjoyed talking to Stefan he didn't really want to be answering inane questions when he had more important things to ponder. "Nothing." He declared. "I mean we're going out later but right now nothing." Klaus wouldn't soon forget the invitation Caroline had extended towards him.

That sparked his friends' interest, "Well I was going to ask if you wanted to go out anyways, mind if I tag along?"

"I guess not, since Kol wasn't supposed to come in the first place." Klaus gave his brother an annoyed glare which Kol pretended to grab and stuff into his pocket. At the mention of his name he had set the book down, ears perked in interest. "Just come round to my flat at ten then."

"Alright," Stefan agreed, a dangerously loud siren blaring through the line, "See you then."

Klaus set the phone on the table once again and pinched the bridge of his nose, only now realizing his mistake. "What happens when he meets Caroline?"

"You don't tell him she's a hooker." Kol offered up like it was the most obvious answer in the world. Klaus wasn't amused by the sass. "It'll all be fine as long as Stefan stays oblivious to the fact that you're in love with a prostitute!" His laughter was grating.

He wasn't in love with her; he was just slightly intrigued by her. At least that was what Klaus told himself because he had only just met her, he couldn't be in love with her. Rebekah was the one who sold her heart on the first date, she was easily impressionable and no matter how many times their family told her she'd end up broken hearted, Rebekah never listened. Instead she'd date the guy who so obviously didn't care for her and than she'd wind up locked in her room for three days with sad music blaring and chocolate. Klaus had never bothered her whilst she was in this state because he valued his life.

His reaction was late but eventually Klaus managed to tell Kol, "I'm not in love with her." However his brother had already parted from the room before he heard Klaus's claim.

By the time ten rolled around Klaus had changed his outfit three times until Kol tossed him a shirt that was deemed acceptable apparently. Klaus didn't exactly care what he usually looked like but something about Caroline made him squirm. Klaus hated squirming. Kol was wearing stone washed jeans and a white t-shirt, covered in his leather jacket. Klaus bore a similar outfit though he lacked the leather jacket and his shirt was grey. Stefan came around at ten after which was fine with them because Kol said it was better to be fashionably late.

They decided to take Stefan's car since he lived closest to Radio and if they had to leave it there than he'd be able to walk down to get it. Stefan looked over at Klaus in the passenger seat as they drove, "So who were you going out with if it wasn't Kol."

"Somebody I met." Klaus said immediately, which was probably the worst lie he had ever told in his life.

Kol chuckled behind them, "His prostitute friend."

"Kol!" Klaus bellowed, balling his fists and glaring at the backstabber sitting just far enough away so that he wouldn't be able to obtain any physical injury.

Stefan nearly swerved the car off the road, causing an old lady to honk her horn and give them the finger, "Wait what?" He didn't look very amused, more irritated at the news. "You befriended a hooker?"

Kol scooted a little closer to the driver seat, but still far away enough that Klaus wouldn't be able to land a far blow. "Not just befriending, bedding as well." Stefan didn't speak a word which was odd.

Klaus could feel his eyes blurring with spots of black so he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down before he could freak out and possibly break the car. "It's not what it seems."

Stefan shook his head steadily, "I don't want to know."

They couldn't have arrived sooner. Klaus had settled down enough so that when they got out of the car he didn't want to rip Kol's head off. Stefan hadn't spoken anything else about it, which was somewhat of a relief to him. Together the three of them entered the club and began to look around.

The music was going in one ear and out of the other, the smell was toxic inside of Klaus's nose, which he was not happy about. It was a million different perfume and cologne combinations rolled into one, and none of them smelt pleasant to say the least. He saw flashes of hair, flashes of body parts, people were clinging to each other as they swayed back and forth to the beat. Klaus had never been one to dance but as he watched one particular couple, he didn't find it very hard to picture him and Caroline moving together on the dance floor.

Kol broke into his thoughts, slapping him on the arm and pointing towards the bar. "Is that her?" A blond girl stood beside two brunettes giggling. She turned on her side and Klaus immediately recognised her. He nodded to his friends and they pushed their way through the crowd, using elbows and whatever else was necessary to reach their destination.

At the bar, Klaus touched Caroline gently on the arm to alert her of his arrival. She turned and smiled, "Hi!" She greeted them over the sound of blaring music. She looked beside her at the two girls who Klaus immediately recognized as Elena and somebody who looked exactly like Elena. "This is Elena and Katherine. Twins." Klaus shook their hands.

He introduced the girls to Kol and Stefan and it took a maximum of five seconds for Kol to make a move on Katherine who was wearing one of the smallest, tightest and revealing dresses he had ever seen. Elena was dressed a little more but even she had her legs out for all to appreciate. Caroline was no exception to the rules. Her dress was bright red, cut off halfway down her thigh, but her cleavage was impeccable and Klaus didn't complain.

The six of them seemed to meld quite nicely, because even though Kol wouldn't leave Katherine alone she was drinking it up, flirting and probably playing him just for fun. That made Klaus smile. Stefan didn't socialize much and Elena didn't try to talk to him because she was too busy flirting up the guy down the bar, so Stefan tried his hand with different woman around the place. That just left Caroline and Klaus sitting at the bar together, sipping on whatever the bartender had given them and chatting.

"I didn't think you'd come." She confessed.

Klaus raised an eyebrow, "Why wouldn't I?"

Caroline laughed but it was drowned out by the sound of a shrill voice singing about their broken heart. "Because I'm me." Klaus wanted to tell her that he didn't care about that but he couldn't seem to be able to spit it out. Something about her was mind numbing, or that could have been some sort of drunk slipped into his drink. In the moment of silence Caroline ceased the opportunity to ask Klaus his nightmare "Want to dance?"

He wanted to say no and just continue to sit there but then he remembered his vision of them swaying together in the crowd, bodies touching, hands roaming, forced close together by the swarm of people around them. Klaus caved, "Sure."

They made their way onto the dance floor and it was everything Klaus had picture. Caroline put her hand against his neck, the other in the air because the song was requesting people do that. Klaus found her hips, grinding against them as the music played. She was smiling at him; their faces close enough that if Klaus pouted his lips they would be kissing. Caroline looked filled to the brim with glee, happy and carefree she danced along, hips against his, noses skimming each other. Klaus had the overwhelming need to sketch this moment as soon as he could.

He took his eyes off of her for two seconds and he noticed Stefan storming out of the building. Klaus didn't want to break apart from her but Stefan was one of his only mates. "I'll be back!" He yelled at her. She nodded and continued to jump up and down. Klaus broke through the crowd, following Stefan out of the club. The brown haired boy was walking quickly away from him and Klaus didn't understand why. "Stefan!" He called out after him.

At first Stefan didn't stop but than Klaus called again so he pivoted on his heel and faced Klaus. Stefan looked positively enraged. "What?" He barked.

Klaus shook his head, "What got into you?" He had never seen his friend look so angry or hurt. Had Kol said something? Had he run into an ex girlfriend in the club? Klaus didn't know how to help him because helping was never really his thing. It made him uncomfortable to think about but if he lost Stefan than he'd be utterly friendless. Plus he'd never get his notes for class

Stefan chuckled angrily, "You wouldn't get it. It doesn't matter okay? Just leave me alone." Klaus tried to say something but Stefan cut him off. "Forever." He disappeared around the corner and Klaus didn't bother to follow him. It felt like a scene from a high school teen drama.

That was a prime example of why Klaus never wanted to make friends. They got mad about something unimportant and than walked away because it was too hard on their puny little hearts. Klaus should have been sad he'd lost Stefan for reasons beyond his knowledge, but it only made him angry. Alone on the street he went through the motions of calming himself down so that he wouldn't black out, deep breaths, thinking of happy things, like painting, like summer, like Caroline.


	6. Chapter 6: Walk Away

**AH! So I guess there are a few people who solidly like this fic and to them I thank (BG HUGS!) Your reviews make me want to write more and more because I am a HORRID procrastinator! (don't look at me). So THANK YOU SO MUCH! To you all who read this!**

**I had said that I was going to start updating on Tuesdays but I'm on Spring Break so I might not stick to the schedule this week!**

**In case any of you were curious the titles of the chapters are numerous songs that I have on my klaroline play list, so if you want to see the full things than you can check out my blog, .com : )**

**_ Nights I Can't Remember _**

Klaus hadn't wasted much time downtown after he'd calmed down enough to form rational decisions. He thought of Caroline still dancing her ass off in the club and every part of him was screaming to go back inside so he could finally just hang out with her. But he knew that his whole self wouldn't be in it, so instead he called a cab and went home, hoping she'd understand.

The next morning rolled around slowly, Klaus had trouble sleeping since his head was throbbing and Caroline was clouding his mind. When he finally did get to sleep it only lasted for a couple hours. He woke up at seven in the morning, still tired but unable to get himself back to sleep. Klaus willingly fell out of bed, dragging his blanket down with him. Once on the ground he spotted his white bed sheet near the end of the bed, the one that Caroline had used to cover herself the morning before. Slowly he picked it up and smiled.

He dressed slowly, not sure if he was actually putting any of his clothes on correctly. For all he knew his shirt could be backwards and he wouldn't care.

The hallway was dark because Kol wouldn't awake for another few hours. At least that was the usual, but Klaus heard the banging of the coffee machine in the kitchen so Kol had to be up and about. The closer Klaus got and the more he thought about it, he realized that Kol never went one coffee making experience without swearing like a sailor. Who the hell was in his kitchen?

It was Elena.

Klaus watched her swiftly moving around the kitchen, wearing Kol's shirt and a pair of shorts that should hardly count as shorts. Her hair was in a bun at the top of her head, and Klaus had to assume the two had hooked up. "Elena?" Klaus asked sceptically.

She turned quickly, nearly dropping the mug she was cradling in her hand. As soon as she spotted him her look of surprise turned into a smirk and Klaus realized his mistake. It wasn't Elena it was- "Katherine actually." She corrected. "Sorry if I woke you up."

He shook his head to assure her, "No I was having a restless night. To be honest I'm surprised I didn't hear you two last night."

Katherine set the mug on the counter. The coffee was only half way done. "As am I." She winked at him, which made Klaus chuckle. "Do you want some?" He accepted her offer and watched as she grabbed an extra cup for him, placing it down beside her own. They waited in silence for the pot to fill and once it did Katherine poured the coffee, milk and sugar before sliding it over to him.

"So you slept with my charming brother." Klaus teased, sipping his morning pick-me-up.

Katherine nodded, "Didn't come cheap let me tell you." At least Klaus could hold the fact that he didn't have to pay twice over Kol's head. She set the cup down, "So why'd you duck out last night?"

She was a nosy bitch. Klaus grimaced at the question, "Stefan." He couldn't bring himself to admit he'd taken part in a teenage drama fight. "Caroline must have understood."

Katherine was watching him with an uninterested face, "how should I know? I was here." Klaus didn't know if she was just rude or really honest.

"As was I." He mumbled, letting the liquid from the cup drown out his sentence. They drank in comfortable silence, which Klaus was thankful for. It was hard to look at Katherine and not think about his brother having sex with her. That was an image he tried his hardest to keep out of his thinking process. She was the first one to break into his train of thought when she coughed. "Getting a cold?" He mused.

She didn't find it very funny, "No." Katherine started to take her hair out of the bun, letting it fall down her shoulders messily. Klaus watched her uncaringly put it back into its original shape on top of her head and then pick up her cup. Woman amazed him because they had this ability to have their hair up in the craziest of ways yet it still looked beautiful. "So do you think Caroline's upset?"

Klaus raised an eyebrow, "How the bloody hell would I know?" She was asking the wrong person, she was closer to Caroline than he was. "Do you think she is?"

Katherine giggled, "She probably met some hot guy and convinced him to pay for her so I wouldn't be too worried."

His stomach rumbled with jealousy that he would never fully admit to, "I wasn't worried Sweetheart, I was just curious." She believed that as much as she believed the sun revolved around the Earth.

After a moment of nothing she offered, "Want to come back to our place and you can see if she's pissed in person?" Klaus wasn't going to deny that it was tempting him, but he didn't think Caroline would be too pleased about it. "You can blame it on me if you want."

Klaus groaned inwardly. He wanted to say yes and just hop over to the blond girls' home but if he did that it would almost be like admitted defeat. Though if he thought about it, he'd already done that plenty of times. When he went down to Radio to find her, when he asked Elena where she lived, when he told Caroline he couldn't stop thinking of her. Klaus was too far gone to even pretend he had even a pinch of self respect left. "Fine." She smiled mysteriously.

He had slight second thoughts but there was no going back.

As they were heading out the door he saw Katherine take her wallet out of the purse she'd gotten when she went back into Kol's room to collect her things. He watched her count the currency of the bills inside; from where he was he could tell it was a solid amount. Katherine seemed satisfied with what was inside, so Klaus guessed Kol had paid her enough.

They grabbed a taxi which was thankfully not being driven by an idiot, but instead a silent man who took shortcuts and flipped off people when they made him angry. He was Klaus's people.

Katherine was watching him curiously, "Caroline's never stayed in contact with a weekend client this long." She commented.

Klaus smiled to himself at the thought, "I'm not really a client. I've never paid."

Katherine chuckled, giving him a look of admiration. "You've really done well then." That was her last comment before she turned back towards the window and watched the trees running by.

They arrived at the miniature White House a few minutes later where Katherine paid for the cab with her newly inherited sex money. She led Klaus inside of the building which was much shabbier on the inside than the outside. He could see the cracks in the walls, places mice were hiding, wallpaper torn down that nobody had bothered to replace. Klaus watched Katherine buzz apartment 32C. "Hey it's me."

The person on the other line didn't say anything but the next thing he knew, they were heading towards Katherine's door. She was smiling the whole way there which Klaus had learnt was never a good thing. They got to the door labelled 32C and Katherine knocked. Klaus stood back a little to observe the scene because he still didn't understand what was exactly happening and he hated that.

Caroline opened the door with an annoyed expression on her face. She was wearing nothing but red lace lingerie, which Klaus admired and Katherine did too. "Damn Care you look hot."

She rolled her eyes, "Couldn't you get your key? You have it for-" Her eyes landed on the man leaning against the hallway walls smirking at how little she was parading around in. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

Katherine pushed past her baffled roommate, "He wanted to say sorry and he didn't have your number."

"Than why didn't you give it to him?" She said through clenched teeth.

That playful look appeared in Katherine's eyes; she reached for one of the apples set out on the counter and took a huge bite. "I did."

Klaus stood up straight, startled. "What? When?"

She shrugged, taking another huge bite that she needed at least a minute to finish chewing. "I pick pocketed you earlier. But this?" She tossed the apple at Caroline who struggled to catch it before letting it fall to the ground. "This was more fun." Neither victim had time to say anything before Katherine was darting off somewhere else in the apartment.

Caroline rolled her eyes, "Sorry about her she's a bitch!" Her voice rose higher on the last word to make sure her roommate had heard her loud and clear.

Klaus wanted to tell Caroline a lot of things just then. How he didn't mind that Katherine had tricked them because any excuse to see her was just dandy in his books. That she looked so fit in that lingerie that it was making it harder for him to concentrate, though he wouldn't mind stripping her of it if he could. He wanted to talk about last night, Stefan, dancing, how he had a wonderful time. Though he couldn't seem to do any of that because she was staring at him with her gorgeous eyes, deadlocking him in place.

"Klaus?" Caroline look concerned, waving a hand in front of his face. Surprisingly it helped him to focus.

"Sorry." He looked down to let his eyes adjust once again to the scene before him. "I came here to tell you that I was sorry I ran off. Stefan was being a bit of a Drama Queen."

Caroline didn't seem angry or hurt, she actually looked like she was about to crack a smile. "I figured, he was watching you creepily the whole night and than only left when we danced."

At first he nodded because he was overjoyed she had understood, but then her words sunk into him. Like honey running from its bottle Klaus felt the meaning of her sentence settling on his plate. "What are you suggesting?"

She ran her hands across her own waist, which Klaus envied. "He likes you, it was obvious." She had to be joking. "I mean why else would he leave as soon as we were dancing?" Klaus just watched her in stunned silence. "You seriously didn't notice? He didn't even try to talk to Elena and trust me, everybody wants to bone Elena."

Klaus didn't.

He thought about all the times Stefan rejected dates from girls but then would spin around and comment about how hot another woman was and Klaus would laugh it off. But what if he was just trying to make Klaus think that he was interested in woman? No, Stefan couldn't be gay, Klaus would have noticed wouldn't he? Even if Stefan did swing the other way there wasn't a fat chance in hell that he had a thing for Klaus. Caroline watched him as he pondered everything.

"He can't like me." Klaus said unsure. He didn't like not having the in tell on things, this was driving him out of his mind. "I need to speak with him." Caroline agreed it was a good idea and wished him a good day. Klaus turned to leave but she reached out and caught his sleeve before he could.

She didn't look as perky as she had a few moments before, "I really appreciate how sweet you are to me but," Caroline looked towards the ground, "it's just not a good idea to hang out anymore." Klaus could have seen that coming.

Instead of arguing with her he walked away, before he ended up saying something he'd regret for the rest of his life. Though two good things came out of that trip. He had a lead on Stefan's problem and Caroline's number was now in his phone.

Stefan answered right away but as soon as he saw who was standing on the other side of the door he slammed it shut. Klaus leaned his ear against the door but heard no movement. Lightly he tapped his knuckles on the door, "Stefan don't make me break down the door." No answer. "What is this? An episode of Gossip Girl?" Klaus only knew of that horrid show because Rebekah was an avid viewer. "What would you like me to do perform a river dance?!" He was becoming increasingly angrier.

He heard Stefan shuffle on the other side before the door was opened and Klaus backed away. "I thought I told you to leave me alone."

"That's the best thing about me." Klaus laced his fingers behind his back, "I don't listen."

Stefan huffed manly, "Just run off with your whore and it'll be fine." He tried to close the door on Klaus again but he got the upper hand, slamming his fist against the door and halting it.

Klaus set his jaw, "Do not speak of her that way." He knew what she was and what she did but Caroline was innocent in a sense. She wasn't a whore.

He smiled, "That make you angry? Why? All she does is fuck anything that moves." Before Klaus knew what was happening his fist connected with Stefan's nose, causing the younger boy to fall back grasping at his face. Klaus shook out his hand that stung from impact, but he loved the rush of punching another human being. That was slightly sadistic but it hardly mattered. He let himself walk away before he got too angry and blacked out.

Stefan didn't come to class later that day but Klaus didn't really blame him after all, Klaus wouldn't want to come into class with a broken nose either. He felt a slight vibration in his pocket. His heart jumped at the thought of it being Caroline but it was only Kol.

_Hey Mate! Bekah is coming to town but I can't pick her up because I'm busy so you'll have to get her after class. Have fun!_

Klaus grinded his teeth at the thought his how much of an asshole his little brother was. He didn't want to go and get Rebekah because even though he adored visits from his little sister he hated having to pick her and the umpteen million suitcases she carried up. But he told Kol he'd do it anyways.

As soon as they were let out Klaus shuffled towards the front door at a record pace. Though apparently it wasn't good enough because somebody caught his arm before he left. Immediately he thought of Caroline and the way she'd got his attention before telling him that she didn't want to see him anymore. Klaus tried not to think about it because it hurt him. A feeling he'd become accustomed to ignoring.

However Caroline wasn't the one reaching for him this time it was a small brunette with a seductive smile, one that made him squirm in his skin. She was potentially murderous. "Hello." She cooed.

Klaus tried his best to be civil towards her, she hadn't done anything to him but he was itching to get away from campus. "How may I help you?" He asked quickly.

The girl introduced herself as Hayley, which was an extravagantly ordinary name. Klaus wanted to ask her if she'd gotten surgery to make her lips turn up in such a creepy manner but he held himself back. "I was wondering if you'd want to get dinner on Friday."

He should have said no but he had nothing better to do and he was surprisingly interested in figuring out why she looked so disturb. "Sure." He offered her a smile. She gave him her name and number before swaying off in the other direction. In the pit of his stomach he new he made a bad decision but it was too late now.

Klaus called a cab, made his way to the airport and found his sister sitting on her bags like some sort of art sculpture, wearing a ridiculously large hat as if she where heading to Cuba. "Sister!" He greeted. She smiled brightly, pulling him into a hug that he'd never admit he'd been missing.

Rebekah pulled away and slapped him. Klaus looked at her disappointedly. "I thought we were past this." He grumbled.

She shrugged, "You're late." Klaus wondered why he even bothered sometimes.

He reached out for her suitcase grumbling, "You slap like a girl."

Rebekah looked at him, her mouth curling up on one side, "Than it must have really hurt." He didn't say another word about it after that.

Together they gathered her things and packed them inside the trunk. She had a carry on, three suitcases and a laptop bag. Klaus didn't see the point in having any of it because she wasn't planning on staying a month. Or at least he hoped.

Rebekah had no problem with telling him all about her senior year at high school and how it was all going wonderfully and her boyfriend -who was American too. This was becoming an epidemic that Klaus needed to look into- Matt was one of the sweetest guys in town. His family didn't have a lot of money so she helped him out a little but Matt's mom was a dead beat and his sister was on drugs so he was pretty much on his own. Klaus didn't give a damn about Matt but by the time they arrived at his flat he knew everything about the lad since birth.

She settled in rather well in their flat, although she wasn't keen on using the couch but Klaus informed her that Kol had sex almost every night in his and Klaus's room was off limits because of seniority. Rebekah said she was at least putting her bags in his room and Klaus allowed it even though he didn't really have a choice.

Klaus passed her on his way to his art room, she watched him go without saying a word until he reached the entryway. "Don't disturb me please, I'm painting."

Of course Rebekah took it upon herself to not listen, "Is that all you do nowadays?" She walked towards him swaying her hips rhythmically until she stopped near the doorframe. Her eyes scanned the many finished and left for never project Klaus had done over the time he'd lived there. Klaus looked around himself, noticing just how many blond women he had drawn.

Rebekah picked up a piece of work near her feet, a woman shrouded in darkness, but there was a slit of light in which her face was visible. "Is this Caroline?" Klaus nearly dropped his paint brush at the sound of her name rolling off of Rebekah's tongue. She smiled, "From the look on your face I'd have to say yes."

Klaus crossed his arms tightly across his chest, not open to actually having this conversation. "How the hell did you know?" He wondered if she knew the whole story, about the working the streets and also working the business men, the athletes, the actors, artists, and singers.

She looked thrilled, "Kol told me about your indiscretions. Honestly brother I wouldn't think you'd be desperate enough to pay for sex." Klaus wanted to argue that Caroline never made him pay but he didn't want Rebekah to continuous comment on how he was in love with her any more than she was already going to. "You sure draw her an awful lot."

He sighed, "I don't have anything better to paint."

"Me." She grinned. Klaus laughed whole heartedly causing Rebekah's face to fall. "You're an ass Nik." She dropped the painting and stormed out of the room. Klaus didn't enjoy hurting his sisters' feelings but at least it got her out of the room.

He painted for an hours but eventually his wrist became tired, which was annoying because his mind was filled with ideas of what to paint and he couldn't do it. Sighing he placed the paintbrush down, wiped his hands on the nearby rag and went out to change his clothes since he'd managed to get black paint on his shirt.

When he came back out Rebekah and Kol were conversing in the kitchen, she was laughing about something which Kol seemed annoyed by. Klaus didn't mind observing them before he joined them. Rebekah was pouring herself a drink even though she was underage; it wasn't like they really cared about age restrictions. As far as Klaus was concerned kids were going to drink, might as well let them do it lawfully. Kol noticed him before his sister did.

"Aw dear brother!" He exclaimed pointing in the older mans direction. Klaus stopped leaning and walked towards them. Rebekah didn't say anything but Klaus saw in her eyes that she was obviously still pissed about his earlier comments. "What are you up to tonight?"

Klaus groaned, not wishing to play Kol's game, "None of your business." Rebekah smirked. "Are you leaving because that would be excellent?"

Kol didn't look discouraged; his face bore a look of amusement. "Perhaps." Rebekah downed her drink; still not bothering to talk to either of them. Klaus admired her dedication to holding a grudge. "I heard you insulted our dear sister."

He shrugged, "She shouldn't be so upset about it really. Now if I had painted her being mauled to death viciously by a bear than I could see where her animosity would come from." Klaus sneered at the memory.

His brother sighed, looking heavenward in delight. "Ah yes, that is one of my favourites."

Rebekah was going back and forth between both of them through slit eyes, trying to figure out which one deserved a slap in the face. "I don't know what you're getting at but shut it." She commanded. The boys locked eyes, smiling at each other in their contact.

Kol stood up, "I'm heading out." He snatched his coat off the hug and threw it over his shoulder. Klaus didn't understand why he'd take the jacket and not put it on but he had other more serious matters plaguing his mind.

As soon as Kol disappeared behind the other side of door Rebekah spoke to Klaus directly, "who did you draw being mauled by a bear?"

"Kol." Klaus stated. Rebekah smiled, refilling her glass. "Pour me one would you love?" She did as he asked.

Her earlier tantrum had dissipated by that point, as they sipped their drinks together. Rebekah was known for her whiney behaviour but Klaus had enough knowledge to understand she would forgive him soon after. They were family, a monstrous, rude, pompous family that liked to hurt each other for kicks, but a family nonetheless. When they were kids Klaus would steal Rebekah's dolls and switch all of their heads with different bodies so that it wasn't obvious enough for her to notice but subtle enough so that she felt something was off with them. It drove her mad.

Rebekah licked her lips, wiping the excess drink off. "So what's the deal with Caroline anyways?"

Klaus really didn't want to discuss his sex life with his little sister but he didn't really have anybody else to confide in now that Stefan was a walking ad for late night television dramas. "We met one night, I never paid her, but I tried. We had some good times but she just doesn't wish to see me again."

She watched him for a long time, studying the creasing lines of worry and hurt in his face that Klaus didn't know existed. Rebekah hummed, "Well I think you should go for it still." Klaus raised an unimpressed eyebrow, "I mean out of all of the siblings I'm always desperate for love and I say go for it."

Klaus shook his head, "it wouldn't do any good trust me Bekah."

That answer didn't please her, "She's a prostitute Nik, and she's not going to admit to feelings." That sparked his interest, "don't give up." He didn't say anything but her words felt like knives against him, because part of him thought she might be right. Was he willing to take that chance? "If all goes well you could take her to family weekend."

He shook his head vigorously, "No not in a million years." Family weekend usually went somewhere between the plot of a bad afternoon movie and a horror show. Klaus loathed the occasion, he wouldn't want Caroline exposed to that environment.

Rebekah finished her second drink, "Maybe that's best. Finn always does find a way to piss everybody off doesn't he?" She was obviously joking because out of them all Finn tried to have the least to do with anything. He hated being a part of their family even more than Elijah or Mikael did.

Klaus spoke quietly, "Yeah it's Finn alright."


	7. Chapter 7: Heart Attack

**So I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter, I got a couple questions about Hayley, don't worry she doesn't have a big part. I only put her in there cause I needed a random person and the outcome of her and Klaus isn't to be worried about!**

**Btw, when I say chip in this, I mean fry. It's in London so I thought, eh why not?**

**I love when you guys review so please do so! It makes me want to write and I know I say that every time but oh well! Thank you so much! : )**

**_ Nights I Can't Remember _**

Klaus tapped his fingers against the old, scraped up, wooden table. His nails were continuing the motion so frequently that if you squinted hard enough you could see indents of his finger nails. The restaurant was crowded with people, all dressed like they were attending a royal banquet, smiling and barely eating anything. Hayley sat across from his, droning on and on about something wrong in her life that he probably should have cared about but didn't.

Every time she opened her mouth Klaus lost his will to listen. He wanted to pay her attention but he could only hear Caroline's voice when she spoke. Whenever Hayley did anything the back of his mind sang out, _she's not Caroline!_ That was the most annoying bit about it. When she laughed it was loud and obnoxious, her smile was shielded with a dark meaning. Hayley was just another piece of the dark puzzle, Caroline was the light.

He took a glance around the room, trying to spot something interesting so that he wouldn't fall asleep at the table, but instead he found something down right karma based. Caroline waltzed in with her arm locked onto that of a pompous businessman. She was smiling up at him, but her eyes were full of hatred. She looked uncomfortable being around him, her body was pushed further away from him than most normal couples would have been. Klaus found it amusing how much he could tell about her just by a simple glance.

"Are you fucking serious?" He grumbled under his breath as the waitress sat them only three tables down from him and Hayley. She hadn't seemed to notice that he wasn't paying attention and continued to blabber on.

His eyes were drilling into the beautiful blond only three tables away but she didn't even so much as glance at him. Finally Hayley noticed he wasn't interested in her, "Hey, are you listening?"

He looked up at her, breaking the contact he'd been keeping. "Hayley what is the probability that you keep meeting the same girl over and over again without meaning to?"

Hayley cocked an eyebrow at his unusual question. "How should I know?" She didn't look very pleased with him.

Klaus inhaled deeply, giving a firm nod on his suspicions. "Well I'm going to go, have fun at dinner." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a fifty dollar bill that he'd stolen from Kol earlier that evening. Hayley's mouth hung open in shock at Klaus's actions.

He began to make his way to the door, eyes landing on Caroline and her companion before he passed them. She finally looked up but she kept her face composed. A waitress appeared as if by magic, carrying two glasses of wine for the lovely couple. Klaus couldn't resist the temptation, so he bumped her with his hip on the way by.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry!" He put a gentle hand on the waitresses shoulder but it wasn't really her that he should have been apologizing too. Caroline was now wearing the wine on her beautiful pink dress, gasping in horror at the scene before her. "I do hope you can get that out."

Caroline glared at him, "You absolute asshole!" She yelled, running her napkin down her dress in an attempt to fix Klaus's disaster. He watched her franticly trying to clean herself, holding back the laughter that threatened to escape him. "Go away!" She commanded him after she realized he was still standing there.

He smirked, "Sure thing Sweetheart, enjoy the evening." He left before she could scream at him anymore or Hayley found him and tried to talk more. That woman needed a muzzle.

Klaus arrived home to an empty flat, which was fine by him. He loved his sister but she was a constant source of noise in his ear that he truthfully did not need. Kol wasn't much better because the two of them were similar in their need to talk, ridicule and party. Klaus sometimes wondered why he didn't turn out that way, he was the odd one out. Elijah and Finn hated their family bickering, distancing themselves from almost everybody, they had careers, and futures that were already mapped out. Rebekah, Kol and Henrik were charming, they were lively, they were always thinking about the next party to go to or how to get themselves into trouble. Given Rebekah was always a bit more of a brat but she had more in common with them than she did Klaus.

Klaus on the other hand was nothing like them. He painted, he was depressing, angry, mean spirited, and barely liked anybody. He hid himself away from most of the world because of the fact that he hated them and would rather be alone. Klaus had no sense of direction for his future, he knew that art was a stupid career choice but he had no other option because he lacked the skills to do any other job.

He sat on the couch as he continued his pity party, drowning his misfortune in rum. It wasn't very responsible of him but he'd done worse things. Like when he was ten and ran away for two days because he couldn't handle the family anymore, than when his dad found him he beat him. Or when he told his sister she'd gained weight when he was fifteen and she cried for the whole day until he apologized and bought her a new outfit.

By the time Klaus heard a knock on the door it was three in the morning. He half hoped that it was Caroline, even though she would probably still be seething with anger, he just wanted to see her face. Alas it wasn't Caroline, it was another blond, Rebekah. She had forgotten the spare key Kol had given to her.

Klaus had excepted her to be drunk out of her mind but she remained relatively sober. Rebekah sat down with him on the couch, Klaus poured her a drink that she happily accepted. "So where'd you get such a good fake ID?" Klaus inquired.

Rebekah licked her lips, "I didn't." That surprised him, "I didn't go to a bar I went to a party. I was down at the store and this guy invited me to his place that night for a party so I went. Totally boring." Klaus watched her take another drink, trying to think about all the times he'd watched her sneak out of the house and kept his mouth shut. He was a bad person, good brother. At least he hoped. "What did you do tonight Nik?"

He let out a long huff trying to remember the nights events because his mind swarming with alcohol, "I went out with that girl Hayley but I left her there." Rebekah didn't look surprised. "She wouldn't shut up and it was intolerable." Klaus finished his drink, setting his glass on the end table. "Caroline was there as well but I'd prefer not to get into that."

Rebekah smiled, "And to think you almost went a week without seeing her." She reached over, grabbed the remote and turned the TV on to some reality show about a group of woman called the Kardashians. Klaus wanted to peel himself off the couch and leave because these girls were a hundred times more whiney and talkative than Hayley had been, but he was too exhausted to move. After about second episode Klaus fell asleep on the couch.

The next morning Klaus woke up with a neck ache, his body not used to sleeping that long on the sofa. He realized Rebekah wasn't around when he stretched out his legs and hit nothing but the other end of the couch. She must have went to his bed. He cursed himself for allowing his body to shut down on him so suddenly, he'd have to clean the Rebekah off of his sheets later.

Klaus made his way into the kitchen and put a kettle on the stove for tea. It seemed like forever since he'd had any, mostly because Kol had taken to making coffee for his hangovers. He wandered back into the living room as he waited for the familiar sound of a boiled pot, he noticed his phone was flashing that he had a message.

_Come to my apartment now._

He looked down at the message on his phone and realized that it was from Caroline.

**How did you get my number?**

_Katherine pick pocketed you remember? She took your number as well. Now get over here so I can properly slap you._

Klaus desperately wanted to run over to Caroline's place but he had class in the next hour, he didn't have time. He also valued his life and didn't wish to be beaten to a pulp by a small woman.

He got into the shower because he was reeking of the alcohol from the night before. Klaus knew that a shower wouldn't wash away all of the stench inside of him but if he scrubbed hard enough it might make a slight difference. Rebekah was up when he came out of the bathroom, she was nagging him about taking too long, how his bed is lumpy and that they're out of Cheerios. Klaus ignored most of her concerns as he headed towards his room to get dressed.

He only had time to enjoy a single cup of tea before he had to leave or he'd be late.

Class was boring as usual, Art History was usually described in that manner. Klaus spent the whole time doodling Caroline in his notepad. At one time he had been scared that somebody would recognize her but he'd since learned to stop being paranoid. Nobody actually cared enough about him to pay his sketches any attention. The whole time his teacher was talking his phone was vibrating in his pocket, probably Rebekah trying to ask him where he kept something because Kol was fast asleep and of no help to her. Not that he'd be much help when he awoke either.

When he finally did get out of that room and checked his phone, it was not Rebekah that had been calling him, but Caroline. Klaus had 39 missed calls from the blond. "Quite incessant I see." He commented to nobody. He wondered why Caroline wanted him so badly, it couldn't just be to slap him.

Klaus slipped the mobile back into the pocket of his jeans and looked up. He had excepted to see the hustle and bustle of busy students, trying to study while simultaneously getting to class on time. Even though that was seen, there was the added scene of Rebekah striding across the courtyard towards him. Klaus made his way over to her, meeting halfway. "Little sister."

Rebekah crossed her arms, "I thought we could have lunch, I've barely seen you since I got in." That wasn't true, Klaus was seeing too much of her. But who was he to deny his sister a meal? "I'll pay." She added. Klaus was fine with that.

They made their way over to a small coffee shop where Klaus could see a majority of students working away at their laptops. The waitress smiled at them, and gave them seats before taking their orders. Rebekah took off her jacket, draping it across the back of the chair. Klaus reminded himself to keep an eye on it in case somebody tried to steal it.

"So how is school?" She asked.

"Fine."

"What about your friend … Stefan was it?"

Klaus folded his hands on the table, not understanding why Rebekah would want to know about Stefan. "We've come to a standstill in our relationship. He was being a bit of a Prat."

Rebekah pouted her lips, "Well that's a shame, he was hot." The waitress appeared again with their drinks and food. She administered them their individual plates.

Klaus popped a chip into his mouth before answering, "It's recently been brought to my attention that Stefan may have been playing for the other side."

She took a drink, "He was gay?" Klaus nodded. She shrugged, "The hot ones always are it seems."

"I'm not."

"Precisely." She grinned at him wickedly. Klaus realized that he may have just witnessed her pay back for his comment earlier that week. Of course it wasn't too hurtful for him but it was low digs like such that kept them going. It was as close to murdering each other they could get without actually committing homicide.

They talked about back home mostly as they ate. Klaus wanted to know how Mother and Henrik were doing. Rebekah told him that Henrik got into a fight in school apparently, that didn't surprise Klaus in the least. Elijah and Finn hadn't checked in much lately, although Elijah did call to tell Henrik to smarten up which he didn't take into consideration. By the time they finished Rebekah was probably exhausted from merely speaking. Klaus knew that he was tired just only listening.

Once they had cleared their plates Klaus decided to head down to a nearby music store and purchase some classical music for when he's doing his art. It helped him relax and he definitely needed it with Kol waltzing around the house with his cocky attitude. Rebekah decided to head home, to go make plans that evening with some girls she'd met at that lame party the night before. Klaus asked her why she would make friends with lame people and she told him that he was lame and she still hung out with him.

He spent more time than he had expected roaming around the stacks of records that the old store had. To Klaus nothing sounded more pure than that form of music. All of his siblings laughed at his love for records, saying that he needed to stop living in the past and that Ipods were much more efficient but he shrugged it off. Whenever he finally reached the outside again the afternoon sky had turned into the darkness of the evening. Klaus sighed at his stupid decision to go into the damn store whenever he checked his phone and saw that Caroline was relentlessly trying to contact him again.

Klaus called for a taxi so that he could finally return Caroline's calls in person. The drive didn't take very long but the driver was oddly suspicious of why Klaus wanted to head down that way that meant he was probably familiar with the road of prostitutes that on that road. Klaus offered him a smirk before exiting the vehicle.

Caroline answered the door almost immediately, but she wasn't wearing lingerie this time, she was dressed in a purple sundress with a jeans jacket, but it still hit her in all the right places so Klaus wasn't arguing. Her eyes were glaring daggers at him, her fists were balled, Klaus was almost scared for his life. "You Bastard! Get in here!" She clenched the front of his shirt, yanking him into the flat. "I can't believe you ruined my dress!"

Klaus squinted his eyes, "Love, the only thing I really did was get you out of a shitty date." He watched her face change into disbelief, than annoyance, than anger before coming around fill circle to disbelief. Klaus smiled.

Caroline shook her head, "It was not shitty!" He didn't believe it. "It wasn't! He was great in bed, my ruined dress just gave him an excuse to take it off faster!" Caroline smirked when Klaus's jaw slacked slightly.

He felt the redness build inside of him, "I didn't need to know that." He knew that other guys had their hands on Caroline but he didn't want to think about it.

She put her hands on her hips, "Yes well I didn't need to see you with that whore!"

Klaus could have laughed at that very moment, "I was with the whore? Are you sure?" Caroline scrunched her lips together in anger because she couldn't even fathom anything to say. Klaus felt the empowerment of having gotten the best of her. He didn't really think of her as a whore, but she obviously didn't like the name and so he had used it.

"You are impossible." She muttered before pulling him towards her and clashing their lips together. Klaus had his back pressed against the wall before he could comprehend what was going on, but even so he felt her hands running through his hair with an urgency that they were obviously both feeling. Klaus tugged her closer, feeling her hips grind against his. He stopped kissing her lips, making his way down her jaw until he got to her neck. Klaus felt her moan softly as he kissed her. Quietly she spoke, "Katherine and Elena aren't home." They both knew what she meant by that.

She pulled him forwards gently, leading him down the hallway until they reached the door near the end. He didn't have time to admire the surrounding pictures, wallpaper or anything. Klaus smirk as they entered, already thinking of what he wanted to do with her. Caroline must have been feeling the same way because she was sharing his expression, closing the door tightly and pulling his lips back against hers as she wiggled out of her jacket.

Klaus kissed down her shoulders then back up again, until he felt her dig her nails into his skin. She pushed him back against the bed and he happily obliged. Caroline was straddling him as she pulled his shirt over his head, she ran her hands down his chest before planting kisses all the way down to his waist. Slowly Caroline removed her dress, teasing him in ways only she would know how. Caroline bit her lip seductively as his erection grinded against her through her underwear, Klaus didn't want to wait another minute but she had other plans. Her hands pulled at the waistband of his jeans, pulling him closer to her. Caroline unbuttoned his pants, and slide them off before once again climbing on top of him this time only a thing layer of clothing separating them. Klaus pulled her down to kiss him hard.

His right hand found its way down to her inner thigh and he began running up and down her skin, stopping whenever her eyes became too excited. His fingers ghosted over her panties, feeling the wetness there. She licked her lips as he did so and Klaus was unable to stop himself this time, he pulled at the side of the garment, exposing her sex. He ran a hand over her opening, teasing her until she couldn't take it anymore. Caroline rolled them over on the bed so that he was facing down at her with a satisfactory grin on his face. Klaus felt her grip the side of his boxers and pull them down.

Without warning Klaus entered her, causing her to moan. She dug into his shoulder blades as he pumped harder and faster. Klaus loved the sound of her voice, the way she looked as she enjoyed him. He kissed her then, unable to keep away from her for that long, but she released him when she began to hit her edge. Caroline let out screams of pleasure and he soon followed, unable to stop himself.

Once they were done they collapsed beside each other, breathing heavily and Klaus was reminded very much of the first night they'd ever spent together. She didn't comment on his performance this time, which Klaus heavily appreciated, but she did wink at him, that was good enough to last him the night. He fell asleep beside her.

Klaus was awoken abruptly when he felt the shift of weight on the mattress, he opened his eyes and saw Caroline tip toeing slowly towards the door. Klaus sat up groggily, clearing his throat, "You're not seriously sneaking out of your own room are you?"

Caroline turned to face him with a guilty expression. "I just don't know what else to do." She stated.

Klaus patted the spot beside him, "Come back to sleep?" She sighed deeply, marching over to the bed but she didn't lay down, instead she sat near the end. "Something troubling you?"

Caroline pushed the hair in her face behind her ear, "I've never liked commitment and I feel like you are one." When she looked up her eyes were wide with concern, but it was anger, it was fear. Klaus was taken back by the sudden information brought to life. He hadn't wanted her to feel like that but it she truly did then he was sorry. All he knew was that without her he was miserable.

Klaus licked his lips as he debated whether or not to tell her how he was feeling because it was a struggle for him to even admit to himself sometimes. "I hate feelings, I really do. They get in the way of many things, but somehow you've managed to bring them out in me." That made her smile. "I don't think either of us need a relationship but I don't want you to not be in my life."

She looked relieved, "Same. You're fun."

Klaus raised an eyebrow, "I give you that and you tell me I'm fun?" Caroline giggled, shoving his shoulder lightly. Klaus let himself fall back down onto his back. "So can we sleep now?"

Caroline didn't speak but she moved to the top of the mattress and crawled back under the sheets with him. Though they didn't dare cuddle.

The next time Klaus woke up it was morning, the sun was beating down against his face like a strobe light from Radio. Caroline was missing from the place beside him but he realized that this was her apartment and she was probably up showering or something -which he had to do himself- so he got out of bed, slid into his day old clothing and made his way out of her room.

Klaus had more time to admire the pictures and things hanging on the cream colour walls of the flat. There were many picture of Katherine and Elena as little girls, one of them with whom Klaus assumed was their parents. He liked the picture of Katherine pretending to bite Elena's neck as if she were a vampire. His eyes roamed the wall until he spotted a blond haired girl in her early teens down at the beach. She was holding onto the hand of another girl, their backs to the camera, their hands in the air like some sort of bird trying to take flight. The next one was Caroline again she was little, sitting under her Christmas tree wearing an adorable little jumper.

A voice called him out of his trance, "Like what you see?" It was Katherine. She was stirring her tea with a spoon as she watched him admiring Caroline's photos.

He grinned, "Yes of course." Klaus followed Katherine down the hall into the kitchen, a black and silver color palette, though it appeared nobody liked to do dishes. The kitchen connected to the living room as well. Klaus noticed that it seemed to be well furnished for three prostitutes.

Katherine was sitting on the counter, eyes fixated on him, "You're probably wondering why we can afford this right?" He nodded. "Caroline deals with a lot of big names, everybody just loves Elena and I deal with at least two customers per night. It's hard work." The place was by no means extravagant, but Klaus was impressed.

He had another question, "I hate to ask but how did you end up here, doing this?" It had been plaguing him for some time. Of course he cared more about Caroline's story but he'd take what he could get.

She took a sip of tea before answering. "Elena and I always wanted to study abroad together so we came over here, school got tough and we ended up running out of money. Our parents died when we were sixteen and it was hard, we had an aunt who took care of us but we didn't want to admit we needed help so one night I put my best talents to the test and it just happened." Katherine didn't look sad as she told him. "Honestly though, what's the point of a super power if I can't put it to good use right?"

Klaus nodded, "Fair enough. Was that Elena's power as well?"

Scoffing she said, "No, Elena was better at the sweet and charming thing." Katherine scrunched her nose as if she had smelt something horrid, "Guys fall for it all the time. I'm more of an asset kind of person."

He didn't want to go too far but he had to know, "And Caroline-"

"Here!" She called, coming out from behind the wall wearing a bath robe, her hair soaking wet from the shower. Klaus had guessed right after all. "What are we talking about?"

Katherine jumped off the counter, landing like a cat on her feet, "Oh nothing important. See you later!" Klaus watched her leave, her hips swinging side to side and he could see what she meant by it being her super power.

Caroline looked suspicious, "Really? Nothing?"

He shrugged, "I was just asking how she came into the lifestyle."

She reached into the fridge and pulled out a large jug of orange juice, "So you're not going to ask me?"

Klaus shook his head, "No, I figured you'd tell me eventually."

She looked pleased with that response, "Then I guess it's a good thing we're in each others lives now, it's probably going to take awhile." Caroline sneered at him as she poured herself a drink.

Klaus deeply enjoyed the sound of that.


	8. Chapter 8: I Knew You Were Trouble

**Sorry it's taken so long, I just got caught up in writing my own personal story and I've been marathon-ing Supernatural so I've been distracted, oops!**

**But I hope you enjoy this chapter, leave me reviews please?!**

**Sorry if there are any mistakes in this chapter, I got lazy and didn't want to check but I'll probably go back and fix them. Hope you like this chapter?! : )**

**_ Nights I Can't Remember _**

They'd fallen into a pattern, much like Klaus's old scheme to keep away from Caroline instead this time it was to be near Caroline. She spent a lot of free time at his house, as long as he didn't have class, and she wasn't working. So it wasn't really a schedule but more of a comfortable gathering situation. Nevertheless Klaus was more than appeased by having Caroline around.

He liked when she was there to argue with him about stupid things that other people would just ignore, when she would make tea for the both of them and he didn't even ask, and whenever she'd leave something of hers at his house because that just meant that she'd have to come back. On the other hand, Klaus wasn't used to having somebody around full time and so he became easily annoyed whenever she would talk a call on her phone in the middle of a show, the way she always put her hair up and than took it down because she couldn't make a decision, her inability to carry large amounts of liquid in her bladder for prolonged periods of time. Caroline was either the noisiest woman in world or the quietest person in the room, she was consistently eating or barely touching her food.

Then there was the sex. Of course it was mind blowing every time because it was Caroline, she was the definition of perfection. Klaus could handle all of her bad habits if that meant he'd get to sleep with her forever, as shallow as that sounded.

Rebekah had left shortly after he and Caroline made that agreement, she loved visiting her brothers but she wanted to be with her boyfriend Matt; who was apparently so much better than Klaus, the raging antisocial douche bag that was sleeping with a prostitute, or Kol the self righteous asshole who slept with a different girl every night. Klaus probably would have left as well if he had been her.

Now that Caroline was coming around a lot more often Kol had gotten used to her, he didn't crack as many hooker jokes, he was actually quiet kind to her at times which surprise Klaus. Kol probably liked her for her fiery passion. One time he caught them gossiping in the kitchen over coffee since Kol had a hangover and she was an American. Klaus took that opportunity to go back to sleep.

On a sadder note, Klaus and Stefan still hadn't made up. His hands fidgeted to call his old friend but he knew that it wouldn't do much good, probably because the last time they had met Klaus punched him in the face. Though part of him still wanted to rekindle their friendship, even though he'd insulted Caroline and made Klaus participate in high school drama.

He made a decision that after class that day Klaus would corner Stefan and ask if they could just start over. Klaus wasn't usually the bigger man but he did enjoy Stefan's friendship and something was telling him the younger lad wouldn't forgive him on his own anytime soon. So he made his way to class, took his usual seat, but when Stefan entered he changed directions and sat near the front.

As soon as the class ended Klaus dashed towards the door, knocking over a stoner on his way towards the door. Stefan of course was already gone but Klaus didn't let that stop him, he tracked the guy half way across the courtyard before Stefan finally turned around and said, "God damn it."

Klaus caught up to him, "Stefan, I wanted to talk to you."

"Well I don't want to talk to you." He sassed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Raising an eyebrow Klaus asked, "Why not?"

Stefan shook his head, "You punched me in the face." Klaus wanted to say that he deserved it but that probably wouldn't help him much in trying to rekindle their friendship. "I thought I told you to leave me alone."

"Listen Mate," Klaus sighed, he hated this grovelling thing, "I wanted to say that I shouldn't have punched you in the face." Stefan just stared at him. "Do you accept?"

Stefan chuckled, "Was that supposed to make me feel any less angry at you?" Klaus nodded, "Well as far as I'm concerned there's no going back so you can leave me alone." He stalked off but Klaus didn't follow him.

Maybe Klaus was better off without him if he was going to be such a brat about things. Klaus thought that perhaps he just wasn't meant to have friends. Caroline didn't count because she was a bit more than just a buddy.

He took a taxi back home, ignoring the world around him as he closed his eyes and thought about a painting he wanted to create when he arrived back at his flat. However as soon as he walked in the apartment Caroline was on his couch, watching cartoons. Kol was nowhere in sight but Klaus was probably right in guessing that he had allowed her inside.

Her face lit up when she saw him, causing his heart to flutter, "Hey!" She greeted, sitting up a little, "Hope you don't mind me being over here."

Klaus said, "Not at all Sweetheart." Of course he didn't mind, why on Earth would he be upset about coming home to a beautiful blond on his furniture? "May I ask why you're here though?"

She huffed, "Elena and Katherine were fighting so I just walked here."

"You walked from downtown?" She didn't seem like the type to exercise often. Her body was amazing but he was sceptical about the amount of times she visited the gym.

Caroline looked slightly offended by his question, "Sex burns calories you know." Klaus smirked at her. "My metabolism isn't that amazing."

Unable to resist, Klaus walked over to the couch and grasped Caroline's face, pulling her lips to his. It was nice that he could just do that without her storming off anymore. Caroline kissed back roughly, now standing at his height. Whenever she pulled away her teeth trailed across his bottom lip. "What was that for?" She asked.

"No reason." He smiled devilishly, letting go of her waist and heading towards his art room. She didn't follow him, which he appreciated because his mind wouldn't be able to paint correctly if he was focusing on her. Also, Caroline was plastered across a handful of canvases and Klaus wasn't exactly fond of the idea that she would see them.

He painted for at least an hour, and Caroline never disturbed him, he was fairly certain she'd fallen asleep because the last time he peeked out at her she had the top of her head facing him, and her arm was slack falling off of the couch. Klaus felt the urge to walk over and watch her but he realized how creepy that was and withheld.

Soon after, when Klaus wasn't paying attention to much else than his brush he heard his name being called. He recognized the voice as Caroline's and placed his things down on the table before wiping his hands off on his rag. Klaus followed the sound of her voice into the hallway where she was standing in the doorway to his bedroom. His breath caught at the sight, she wasn't wearing anything but her underwear, leaning against the side of the doorframe, and her smirk was enough to show she knew the effect she was having. "I'm bored. " She stated.

"Well I can certainly help with that." Klaus promised, walking towards her, grasping her waist and pulling her in for a kiss. It was rough, sloppy and needy, neither one of them able to get enough and Klaus loved it. He pushed her inside of the bedroom, closing the door with his foot.

-o-

When Klaus woke up he could feel a presence lying beside him and he jumped slightly until his eyes landed on Caroline's beautiful silhouette under the bed sheets and smirked. She looked over at him, her eyes wide and full of wonder. Klaus apologized, "Sorry bout that, you frightened me."

She waved it off, "Sorry I haven't put my face on yet." He had no idea what she was trying to imply because she was simply breathtaking.

"Couldn't sleep?" He rested against the headboard with his hands behind his head. She nodded, "Want me to tell you a story?" Caroline chuckled but agreed to let him have a go at it. "Alright, well once upon a time-"

"I never took you for a fairytale man." She commented, looking up at him.

Klaus shrugged, "I have a sister." He cleared his throat, "Anyways, once upon a time, beyond a hill of unimaginable beauty, across a lake of crystals there was a house filled to the brim with kids." Caroline was silent, so Klaus took that as a cue to continue. He felt silly talking like this with her, but it reminded him of when Rebekah would get scared and he'd have to tell her a story in the middle of the night to calm her down. "There was Frank, Edward, Nickolas, Rachel, Kolin and Henry. These kids were the pride and joy of their mother Emily, she was kind, caring and loved them wholeheartedly. But Emily was married to mean troll named Mitch, who surprisingly had no effect on how handsome the children had turned out." Klaus looked at his companion who was now just smiling at him.

"Continue," She said softly, leaning onto her side, letting the blanket fall from her chest.

Klaus's eyes caressed her body slowly because he began to speak again, finding the innocence in her eyes and smiling. "Mitch was one of the most savage hunters around that forest area; he would kill anything in sight. One night brave, handsome Nickolas made the decision that he would hunt down his father in the depths of the woods and kill him, thus ending the terror he placed upon their family. Alas, Nikolas had not anticipated that the young Henry would follow him. Nikolas tracked his father far into the black night, making sure he was along -or so he thought- he aimed his gun directly at Mitch. When suddenly Henry cried out loudly and Nikolas missed his father by an inch, sending the old troll into a frenzy!"

Caroline looked genuinely intrigued, Klaus continued, "Mitch was drunk off his ass and he pointed his own gun in the direction of his two sons and fired without thinking. Henry collapsed to the ground, Mitch ran away and Nikolas cried. He carried his little brother back to the house, listening to the wheezes of his injured sibling. Now, luckily he was only shot in the shoulder and was able to heal, but Mitch was still a drunk old troll that terrorized the little family over the hill. The end."

She shook her head in amazement, "That wasn't a happy ending." Caroline protested.

Klaus pursed his lips, smiling softly as he looked into the distance, "No, but it is a fantasized story of how my father Mikael shot by brother Henrik in the shoulder." Her hands flew to her mouth in terrorized shock. "Don't look so sad Love; Henrik was fine I assure you."

"That was supposed to make me sleep not want to cry." Caroline's eyes swelled with the tears Klaus hadn't cried for his family in years. She reached out a tentative hand, placing it on his chest, "Is your father still around?"

Klaus sighed, "Unfortunately he walks among the living. If Henrik hadn't followed me I probably would have killed him that night." She didn't seem disturbed. "He's a menace."

"I'm sorry." She confessed. But she didn't need to be, it wasn't her fault his father consumed too much alcohol and spat profanities as his children, or that their mother was too frightened to do anything, that Henrik had been an idiot and Klaus an even bigger one for thinking he could shoot somebody and get away with it.

Klaus coughed, "there was another reason I told you that story. See my siblings- Finn, Elijah, Rebekah, Kol, Henrik and I- live in many different places, which turns our mother sour. So she plans this family get together over a specific weekend and we're usually allowed to bring people. Normally I go by myself considering my disinterest in most people but I thought perhaps this year you'd like to come with me?"

Caroline raised an eyebrow, "Me? Are you sure? I mean Klaus I'm not exactly the kind of girl you want to bring home to mother."

He licked his lips, "I wouldn't worry too much about that, Kol never brings home a particularly family friendly woman." Her brain seemed to be struggling with inner turmoil about the situation. "I would understand if you said no."

Something suddenly clicked, Caroline rolled on top of him so that the sheet hade completely fallen off her backside. Klaus removed his hands from behind his heads, roaming her body as she grinned at him. "I would love to meet the mysterious Mikaelson clan." She announced. "Wait they're not all like Kol are they?"

Klaus scoffed, "oh god no!" He didn't know if he could have made it all those years with five Kol's running around in his life. "Finn has a stick up his ass."

Caroline looked impressed, "my kind of people." That was an obvious joke, she was the farthest thing he knew from having Finn's personality. She was free, spiritual, beautiful, an essence of purity even though she worked in a dirty business. She was a lover, a fighter, her glow radiated for miles and Klaus had to stop himself because he thought about her for too long and drooled.

An ear piercing sound went off in their ears and Caroline groaned, clambering off of him and the bed to reach her pager that had been placed on his table. She looked upset when she read the name, "Sorry, Mr. Henderson waits."

Klaus followed her in the act of getting up; he rummaged through tossed away clothing to find his pants. "I thought you were supposed to reveal clients?"

She was already fastening her bra on in the front before turning it around and slipping her arms through the straps. Klaus didn't want to even begin to comprehend the world of female fashion. "That's not his real name dumbass, it's an alias." Caroline pulled her tank top over her head, walking over towards Klaus where he sat at the end of the bed. She was standing in front of him, so close he could reach out and grasp her hips.

He smirked, "Perhaps I should have used one."

Caroline laughed, "Yeah, well you're not paying so it's not the same." She reached around him, snatching up her sweater from the bedside. "I'll see you later then." Klaus waved her goodbye and watched as she left his bedroom.

-o-

Whenever Klaus immerged from his bedroom he met his brother in the kitchen, eating store bought waffles with peanut butter and syrup. Klaus stuck his nose up at the combination, but Kol insisted that it was the most delicious meal on the planet. "So brother," Kol took a bite of his waffle, "who are you bringing this weekend?"

Klaus didn't want to have this conversation but he knew it would happen sooner or later. "Caroline."

Kol nearly lost his balance on the stool, trying not to fall and choke at the same time he gripped the end of the island. Klaus smiled amusedly. Whenever Kol spoke again his eyes were wide, "Really? You're bringing The Hooker?"

That wasn't necessary, "She's not The Hooker Kol," Klaus warned his brother to shut up about it with one stern yet forceful glare. "She's just Caroline, my friend, coming this weekend. Don't mention a word about it to the family or I'll kill you."

He took another bite, "Fair enough." Klaus looked away from him, but he managed to catch the devilish smirk on his face. "So I'm bringing this girl I met down at Radio named Jen, she's incredibly hot, a total knock out, she'll blow Caroline out of the water." He winked.

Klaus walked around the island to grab himself a glass of milk, "You do realize Caroline gets paid to charm the pants off people in high society nearly every weekend? Think again dear brother." Kol didn't make a counterargument.

"Just no funny business at mums' house." He remarked before Klaus left the room. Kol's laughter could be heard from a mile away.

-o-

Whenever Caroline and Klaus saw each other again it was that Friday, she arrived at his apartment with a small bag of things which Klaus had to admit he was surprised by. He had expected a large suitcase like he'd seen most girls using on television, he'd never actually travelled with a woman so he wasn't entirely sure. Kol rented a car from one of his rich friends, a sleek black thing that went faster than they needed. Kol was admiring its glow while Klaus and Caroline sat in the back, Jen in the front, waiting for the annoying younger sibling.

"Let's go asshole!" Caroline called, leaning down so that her face appeared between the two front seats. Kol looked in through the window, stuck out his tongue and began to open the door.

Klaus chuckled, "it's amazing how well you've trained him." She smiled triumphantly. Kol didn't find it very funny as he made a sour face into the mirror but Jen on the other hand was suppressing giggles.

Jen was a beautiful black haired woman, tanned skin that looked as if it had been kissed by the sun, a light caramel. She had that gypsy essence about her that made Klaus deem her as trouble. Though he was one to talk since Caroline was actual trouble. He looked over to his blond haired companion, admiring the way she looked in the light of the afternoon.

"Ready?" Kol asked, but he didn't wait for an answer before taking off into the streets of London.

They arrive in Surrey later on that day, Caroline had fallen asleep and rested her head on Klaus's lap because she obviously wasn't a law abiding citizen. Though Klaus was perfectly happy with watching her deep breaths as she slumbered on. He wanted to stroke her hair but Kol and Jen were in the front seat, plus it would completely break their terms and agreements of the friendship they'd set up. When they finally arrived Caroline had been awake for at least half an hour, not even a little bit concerned about the drool on her face or the fact that she'd been on Klaus's lap.

The Mikaelson mansion was such a usual scene for Klaus he didn't even blink when he saw it. Three stories spread out over large acres of land, a hallway for at least each kid. There were enough bathrooms for them all to go at once; they had butlers, maids, it was as if they were famous. Caroline's jaw went slack when she spotted it, looking around in awe. Klaus found it funny but he realized she probably hadn't grown up in anything this lavish and she certainly didn't live someplace like this now.

Caroline was nervous getting out, she clung to Klaus's arm for support and he found it charming. "Easy Love, it'll be fine."

Apparently she didn't find it funny, "I'm not a child Klaus, I'm just a tad nervous seeing as I'm a professional sex distributor! Plus you didn't tell me you lived in a fucking mansion!" Her voice lowered into a hiss as Kol and Jen walked by. Caroline noticed the younger Mikaelson and called him back to here, "if you say one thing about me being a, you-know-what, I will rip your heart out." She threatened.

Kol winked, "Not a thing Sweetheart." That was the best they weren't going to get.

Esther was waiting for them at the door, showering them all in hugs even if she didn't know who the woman was. She was kinder soul after all, she didn't really care who she embraced. As soon as they were all inside she pulled back to have a look, "Sorry about that! I'm Esther." She smiled kindly.

Jen introduced herself before her and Kol moved towards the stair case, but Kol hung back for the Esther and Caroline meet and greet. Caroline was nervous, Klaus could tell but she put on that face that made her seem like she owned the room, stuck out a hand and said, "Hello Mrs. Mikaelson it's nice to meet you, I'm Caroline. I'm so happy Klaus invited me!" Kol seemed disappointed, rolled his eyes and left.

Klaus led Caroline to the stairs, down the hall, to the last room on the left and she was greeted with the room of a teenage Klaus. It was filled with paintings, drawings he'd left hanging without care, a barren dresser, an old bed with new bed sheets because of Esther, and Klaus's childhood lamp with stars stencilled onto the cover stood near the bed. There was a picture of toddler Klaus on the wall which immediately caught Caroline's intention. "You were so cute!" She cooed, picking it up and showing him.

"Yes, I was the epitome of adorable, now please put the picture down." He shuffled over and took the picture from her grasp. "It's quite embarrassing."

She put her hands on her hips, "You've seen my baby pictures."

"Yes but you were cute." They took a five minute break to just stare at each other, fighting for dominance of the situation in within the limits of their eyes. Finally Caroline looked away, taking the picture back from him, grinning down at the young Klaus.

"I think you look handsome." She stated, but Klaus understood that she was putting an end to that argument. "So is Mikael going to be here?"

Klaus watched her curiously for a moment, she moved towards his bed letting her fingers graze the surface of the sheets. Whenever she looked up at him through her eyelashes he snapped back into place, "Perhaps. He works a lot so he may only stop by for moments. Business man and all that."

From the door erupted a noise that could only belong to none other than Rebekah Mikaelson herself, she rejoiced that Klaus was back home. "Oh Nik it's good to see you!" She hugged him tightly. Rebekah had always been the most emotional of them all.

Klaus let out a chuckle, "Thanks Bekah." The blond girl pulled back, "this is Caroline."

Caroline immediately flashed a toothy grin, waving to the Mikaelson sister. "Hello Rebekah."

Rebekah walked towards the other blond, circling her as if she was a falcon looking down upon her prey. "So you're Caroline," Caroline nodded slowly, "well you look nice enough, shame about the whole prostitute thing."

There was a tense silence in the room, and Klaus wanted to shove Rebekah through the window. Caroline glared at Klaus, "Did you tell everybody?"

Rebekah waved it off, "I was there during the early stages of whatever the hell you two are doing, it doesn't bother me much, I mean I haven't told anybody, just don't hurt my brother." Her voice dipped low near the end and Caroline assured her with one final head nod.

Sooner or later they made their way downtowns where Caroline met Finn and his wife Sage, Elijah who was dining alone that evening. Klaus kept thinking how much the tables had turned. Rebekah brought her high school football star boyfriend Matt, Henrik was alone like always, and of course there was Kol and Jen who were seen continuously trying to make out. Caroline was wonderful with them all, laughing, smiling, and talking, but it shouldn't have come as a surprise seeing that she was an entertainer most nights. She even wondered off on her own without Klaus for awhile, letting him chat with Elijah about family matters.

Sooner than later they all found their way into the family area, preparing to sit down and enjoy the lovely meal the cooks had prepared. Klaus rested a hand on Caroline's lower back to assure her he was there; she leaned into him slightly at his touch. It all seemed to be going so well it was only a matter of time before it went horribly wrong.

Around the corner appeared the face of a man Klaus despised more than anything, Mikael Mikaelson. Klaus felt Caroline stumble back slightly when the older mans eyes landed on her, giving her a peculiar look. Esther greeted him kindly as she always did, "Welcome Mikael."

Mikael walked towards Caroline, "I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting, I'm Mikael."

Gulping she responded, "Caroline."

Klaus could feel a tension in the air and so he broke in. "Alright then let's sit down and eat." They all grumbled a response. Nobody bothered to mention that Mikael hadn't met Jen either, but apparently they didn't care, the more they could escape conversation with Mikael the better.

They all began to enjoy their food, though Caroline took very little into her mouth. Kol was spoon feeding Jen, trying to be cute when it was actually repulsive and Klaus wanted to growl at him to stop. Klaus spent time chatting to Matt, who wasn't actually that bad of a person, but he did speak a lot of rubbish that Klaus didn't care about. Luckily Rebekah lost interest in Jen and demanded her boyfriend pay attention to her more.

Caroline didn't say much until Klaus felt her put a hand on his shoulder, "Klaus can I talk to you?" Klaus pulled away to look at her, seeing a scared little girl hidden in her eyes. It was a completely new expression for her.

"Hey what are you two whispering about over there?" Kol laughed at himself, he was only trying to be the charming, witty brother but as soon as Caroline turned to look at him, his whole face changed. "Never mind." He muttered.

"No," Mikael added, smiling menacingly, "Do tell."

Caroline looked at Mikael quickly before looking down to the table. "Leave it alone Mikael." Klaus warned. Every head around them was turned towards Caroline, some eyes darted back and forth between her and Mikael, but it was obvious they were all concerned of what was going to happen. Disaster.

Mikael took a sip from his drink, leaning back in his chair as if he were the king enjoying a jousting tournament. He had his eyes fixed on Caroline, completely ignoring the rest of the world, "Come now dear, let us all in on your secret." She was shaking by this point and Klaus had, had just about enough.

"I said, leave it alone." He laced his anger into his voice, hoping Mikael would decide to be the bigger person for once and leave Caroline alone, but unfortunate that wasn't the case.

"You don't scare me boy." Nobody spoke, nobody even moved; Klaus was beginning to regret even coming that weekend.

Caroline took matters into her own hands; she stood up and blurted, "I can't just sit here having dinner with your family knowing what I know." Her eyes met Klaus, still filled with that overpowering sadness.

Klaus shook his head, "if this is about that story-"

"It's not." She assured him, though Klaus saw her eyes dart towards a confused Henrik. "Klaus I'm really sorry, I'm really sorry to everybody-"

"Caroline," Klaus cautioned.

She looked ready to ball her eyes out, and nobody was sure of what they should be doing. "Your dad is Mr. Henderson."

The whole room fell as if over a ledge into piercing silence. Klaus felt his breath catch, because his father had done some stupid things, but Klaus never imagined that it would be like this. Thinking about him cheating on his mother with Caroline made Klaus sick to his stomach. He wanted to knock Mikael unconscious and rip his heart out, make him feel the pain that Caroline, Esther and every one of his children would feel when they all knew the truth. He was a monster. Caroline probably thought that it was all her fault but Klaus could hardly blame her, she was doing her job.

"You're fucking kidding me." It was a statement more than a question. Caroline solemnly shook her head. "How could you do that to mom?" Klaus spat at his father.

The worst part was that Mikael seemed to be enjoying it; he had a corrupted smile on his face, indulging in the rage Klaus was allowing to boil over. After Klaus asked his question, Mikael raised an eyebrow, "I haven't done anything you haven't Niklaus."

Klaus slammed his fists against the table, rising to his feet in a sudden burst of anger. Caroline moved away from the table, stumbling back towards the wall as she held in her tears. Kol was out of his seat in an instant, rushing towards the blond girl to comfort her. He told her not to cry, and she apologized and Klaus would have found it an incredibly sweet moment but he was too busy trying not to rip Mikael's head off.

"Here's the thing old man, I'm not married." Esther looked devastated, trying to hold it together when she didn't even know what was happening. "And the second thing, I never paid." Klaus smirked and Mikael let his face turn cold.

"If you want to get mad at somebody get mad at that whore." He knew exactly how much Klaus wanted to kill him and he was savouring it. Klaus was ready to leap over the table and strangle his father but Caroline cut in.

"Stop!" She yelled, calling all attention towards her. Klaus noted the tears on her cheeks, stains that wouldn't wash away for hours. "I'm sorry; this is my fault I shouldn't have come." She broke away from Kol, dashing out of the room like a madwoman.

"Caroline!" Klaus called after her, hating himself for not having super speed. Kol starred agape in the place she had last stood. "Damn it." He cursed as the front door slammed shut.


	9. Chapter 9: Bleeding Out

**So everybody is gagging along with me right? Fucking Mikael man, just messes up everything! Sorry if you didn't actually like it but hey, gotta risk it to get the biscuit! **

**So I made a schedule of regularly posting on Tuesdays, but this Tuesday I'm going to get my new Kitten and I don't know if I'll have time to finish writing so that's why this is out early!**

**If you guys wanted to help me pick a name I'd really love that? He's pure black and my name choices are 1) Abraham 2) Oliver 3) Edgar 4) Casper 5) Hugo THANKS GUYS!**

**Reviews always welcome!**

**(Sorry this isn't very long!)**

**_ Nights I Can't Remember _**

Klaus didn't have much time to think since his brain was flooding with so many things. He wanted to chase after Caroline and calm her down but an even bigger part of him wanted to stab Mikael through the heart with his own dinner knife. He wanted to pull out his heart out through his chest, he wanted to repeatedly shove his head into the dinner table and watch his blood spoil his own dinner. Obviously the anger in Klaus won out and he stayed right where he was, yelling at his father.

"You despicable old man, you're a pathetic excuse for human life! How dare you cheat on our mother!" Esther was holding onto Rebekah for support, she never liked the fighting between them all. "You don't deserve to live under this roof, to claim to be part of our family when you're a cretin and deserve to die!" Kol put a hand on Klaus's shoulder but the older brother shook him off.

Mikael's fists were balled, obviously not enjoying being told he was essentially worthless, "You're one to talk boy! Like father like son then? Buying a girl's love when you can't find it for yourself!"

Klaus growled, "Caroline is my friend, and like I said, I do not pay for anything you absolute monster!" Mikael jumped forward trying to intimidate Klaus but he didn't even budge. "I hope you drink so much tonight you drown in your own whisky."

With fuming anger Mikael responded, "You think you scare me Boy? You're pathetic! Out of all of my children you were always the stupidest."

Klaus felt himself catch fire with rage, the need to kill the man before him raising higher and higher by the second. "You can only insult me compared to other people. I can only insult you based on who you are as a singular person, and you are one of the lowest forms of human existence I've ever encountered."

Mikael shot forward for real this time, grasping Klaus by the throat and lifting him into the air slightly. Klaus gripped his fathers arm and twisted it so that he heard a distinctive snap in the older mans wrist. Though Mikael didn't cry out in pain, he was much too good for that apparently. Suddenly Elijah and Finn were grabbing their father and pulling him backwards meanwhile Kol had his arm around Klaus to keep him at bay.

Kol leaned into Klaus's ear, "just calm down, you know what happens when you get angry." Klaus would probably punch anything within a five mile radius.

"He deserves to suffer." Klaus yelled through clenched teeth.

With a angry burst Klaus tried to break free from his brothers hold but Kol resisted, "Yes he does but Caroline is out there crying herself to death so if you have a heart go and find her brother." Klaus looked at his little brother, so young and honest. Kol wasn't always heartless and annoying he was actually insanely smart, he was always there when you needed him and right not he was looking at Klaus like they were still children. "Go." He pleaded once more.

Klaus glared at Mikael once more before taking off after Caroline.

She couldn't have gotten that far since they'd only been arguing for a few minutes and Caroline wasn't that fast, no matter how many calories she burned during sex.

Finally Klaus spotted a be frazzled blond lady walking down the street with Caroline's exact outfit and body shape. Klaus decided that it was probably her and he was willing to risk it. He ran after her calling out her named, "Caroline!" She didn't turn. "Love, you can't walk back to London!"

"I can try!" She yelled angrily and as she turned Klaus saw her face was streaked with tears. She'd been crying harder than Klaus could have ever imagined, her eyes were puffed and red, and she was sniffling with every new breath.

Klaus reached out and touched her arm but she shuffled away. "Caroline my father is an absolute asshole, it wasn't your fault Love."

Caroline shook her head, "It's always my fault, I always fuck it up! I ruin marriages, I ruin families, I'm not a good person!" Klaus didn't speak, waiting for her to explain. "One client got caught by his wife and she called the cops on me, but I wasn't arrested he called me before they showed up." She was in pieces but Klaus still saw the beauty in her, "I'm not a good person, I'm horrible."

He nearly laughed, "It's not your fault Caroline, stop blaming yourself."

"No you stop!" She stomped her foot, "I'm not a good thing to keep around, I'm useless most of the time actually." It was almost as if Klaus could see the hope dissipating from her eyes. "So I'm not staying here, I'm not fucking up your life anymore Klaus I'm sorry. Elena is on her way to get me."

"Don't do this, it's not-"

"It is." She cut him off. "Klaus I'm a hooker, this is what I do, I ruin everything. That's why I don't make friends with the people I sleep with." This time she walked away and Klaus didn't follow her because he knew Caroline and nothing he said was going to make an ounce of a difference in the matter.

When Klaus made it back to the house it had begun to rain, and he hoped Elena would show up for Caroline soon. He took a look over his shoulder even though he obviously couldn't see the blond anymore.

Inside Sage and Esther were clearing away the dishes while the others were talking quietly. Upon his arrival they all looked up, Mikael had disappeared it seemed. He walked towards his mother solemnly, "I'm really sorry." He whispered, feeling as though he was a child who'd just broken his mothers favourite vase.

Esther smiled sweetly, "Oh my Klaus, it's not your fault." She pulled him in for a tight hug, reminding him of his nightmare days in the same house.

Finn coughed from behind him, "Well I do blame you Niklaus, bringing that girl into this house."

"Finn." Sage cautioned but he ignored his lovely wife. "Leave it alone."

Finn did no such thing, "Come Sage, we're leaving." She looked at Esther with a sorry in her eyes but she obeyed her husband and accompanied him to the door.

Elijah was next to speak, "I do not blame you Niklaus but she shouldn't have come here."

"Shut up and get out." Klaus spoke, he was in no mood to have his family tell him Caroline was a whore. She was more than just her job and even the biggest idiot should have been able to see that. Nevertheless Elijah left the room, figuring it easier to just leave than to start another confrontation. "We should all get some sleep."

Kol caught up to Klaus as he walked towards his room, "What happened to Caroline?"

Klaus looked up at his brother, at first with the notion of telling him to get lost but he couldn't do it, "She left." And so Klaus left too, towards his room for a good rest.

-o-

They left the next morning, Jen passed out in the backseat while Kol and Klaus starred out the window in silence. It just wasn't the same drive without Caroline and that wasn't an exaggeration. She brought something to the car, safety, love, laughter? Klaus couldn't pinpoint it exactly because Caroline was more than just the sum of her parts she was everything that was pure and beautiful. He could tell by the way Kol watched passing cars longingly that he felt the same way.

Kol dropped Jen off before they returned to their own flat, Klaus headed straight towards his art room so he could paint a picture depicting Mikael's death but Kol grabbed his arm to stop him. "I'm really sorry all of that happened. I don't blame Caroline, neither does Rebekah." Klaus nodded in appreciation before he shielded himself from the world again.

It wasn't that Klaus was angry at this point, or upset he was just tired. He was tired of Caroline believing she was worthless, of his father ruining every good thing about his life, about the running and the arguing and the painting when he got upset. It had all been fine before, Klaus had been able to handle it but now that Caroline had entered his life she'd changed everything so how the hell was he supposed to continue on like normal?

But he was also tired of the worrying so how was he supposed to stop being tired about worrying about being tired? His brain was screaming at him to stop moving, to stop blinking, breathing, worrying. Klaus just wanted to stop doing anything because it was too exasperating.

Days after the fiasco Klaus was lingering in his room, watching shadows dance around the ceiling of his bedroom, trying not to think about what kind of cars were sending their headlights through the windows and causing them. It had been days since he'd seen Caroline, days since he'd done anything really. He wouldn't say he was depressed he was just uninterested, he didn't want to go to class or chat with Kol because none of it seemed interesting.

Klaus sat up a little in his bed, finally mustering up the strength to call Caroline. She was the last contact on his phone so he simply hit talk. Her voicemail came up. "It's me again, calling to make sure Elena got you home okay. Call me back when you get this." He flopped back against the pillow aggravated. He'd been sending her non-stop messages but she'd never called him back. Even though Klaus knew that Caroline didn't want to talk to him he figured that if he wore her down eventually she'd succumb to his desire for her to answer the phone call.

There was a knock on the door but Klaus didn't move to try and answer it. Kol didn't need a yes though, he simply popped his head in, "Klaus what are you doing?"

"Nothing brother." Klaus smiled, "Can I be of assistance? Please say no I'm not going to help."

Kol raised an eyebrow, "You do realize this is pathetic?" Klaus glared at him. "You're just sitting there doing nothing because of a girl Klaus it's not like you at all. The Klaus I know would have made it seem like it didn't happen."

He had a point, Klaus wasn't acting like himself. "Leave me be." Was all he could come up with because Klaus was too prideful to admit that Kol was right.

Though the younger Mikaelson only came inside the room more, "I'm tired of watching you do nothing, you need to go to class."

Klaus sat up hastily, "You are not the boss of me Kol."

"Well I have to be if you're acting like a child." His voice was so serious Klaus wondered if this wasn't his actual brother. He had his arms crossed over his chest, "You need to stop laying about in bed and get out into the real world."

Klaus stood up menacingly, "I don't need you telling me what I should and shouldn't do."

Kol yelled, "Yes you do!" For a long time they just watched each other, Kol frightened that Klaus would break off into one of his blind rages and Klaus wary of what his brother was saying, because he was only being honest. "I know you love her Niklaus but-"

"I do not love her." Klaus interrupted.

Kol rolled his eyes, "I know you like her a lot but she's not worth moping about for, not for a whole week anyways."

Klaus glared at the younger boy, "How can you say that? You knew her just as well as I. She's not easy to forget."

"Of course I'm missing her Klaus, I was her friend but I didn't say you had to forget her," Kol slowly made his way towards the door, tired of spouting the same line to Klaus over and over if it wasn't going to work, "I just said you had to start living your life." Then he left.

Klaus sat back down on the bed, because Kol was right and Klaus could fight it, deny it and yell about it all he wanted but it wasn't going to change the fact that he was correct. This wasn't who Klaus was, pondering life in the absence of a woman. He would have shook it off and moved on but unfortunately something about Caroline was corrupting him. Klaus should have been sad about his life, Stefan left, Caroline left, Finn hated him, and he was acting like a child but Klaus couldn't bring himself to care about much else besides the fact that Caroline wasn't beside him.

"I am pathetic." He said to nobody in particular. Klaus never admitted his weakness to people who could use it against him but there in the darkness of the afternoon with the shadows of passing cars still dancing on his ceiling, Klaus could admit to himself anything he wanted.

For the first time in awhile Klaus dressed to leave, threw on a jacket, slipped on his shoes and headed outside. Kol was in his room but he knew that the younger boy would soon discover his disappearance.

Klaus headed towards the sidewalk, not really caring where he was or where he was headed he just knew he needed to walk. He needed to think about anything besides Caroline but it seemed impossible because she was every blond that passed, every laugh he heard. If Klaus just knew that she didn't hate him, that she was fine maybe he'd stop digging himself into a hole of misery.

He'd never been such a sap, it was all new to him. He didn't know whether or not he was overreacting or under reacting, he'd never been in love or anything. Not that he was in love with Caroline he just knew there was a void where she once stood beside him. It occurred to him that perhaps she had changed him as a person, made him more open to feeling things and discussing matters of the heart. For that, Klaus was angry with her.

She couldn't just do that, just show up and complete three sixty his reality and then disappear like she was just a strip of a memory in his pathetic life. Klaus would never have said or done half the things he had if she'd never walked into his life, made him think about somebody else besides himself. It was annoying, it was down right ruining him but Klaus didn't know if he could ever go back no matter how much he disliked this new him.

He stopped walking and looked around him, noticing that he's stopped in front of a convenience store. Klaus had never thought about smoking until that point, but it seemed like the artist thing to do. He went inside, heading straight for the counter to order a pack of cigarettes, but then he stopped himself.

Caroline wouldn't like the taste of that in his mouth, she'd probably tell him it was gross. But it didn't matter because they weren't together, she didn't want to see him anymore.

So Klaus bought the cigarettes, still not sure if he was ever going to use them.

The air started to get chilly a little after he left the shop, so he decided to duck into an ally and try to use those little killing sticks, but it only took moments for him to realize that he'd forgotten a lighter, just his luck. So he turned back to the streets, making his way back to the flat with a small level of anger.

Kol was surprised to find him coming in the front door but he didn't say anything about it, not until Klaus passed him and he said, "Sorry for yelling but it worked didn't it."

Klaus sighed, "Don't push your luck." He marched into his room, depositing the cigarettes in his top drawer. Not that he was afraid of them being seen, but he didn't just want them lying around for Kol to notice and poke at him.

As soon as Klaus emerged from his room to grab a bite to eat his phone started to ring. He was surprised as to who was calling him, "Elena?" He questioned. Kol's interest perked up from the couch. "How can I help you?"

"Where's Caroline?" She demanded harshly, as if Klaus was to blame for everything wrong in the world. Klaus swore that he hadn't talked to her in days but Elena wouldn't believe him, "stop lying and just tell us where our friend is."

There was a shuffle from the other end before a new voice came on, "Listen asshole, I know you're in love with her so where the fuck is she?"

"I am not in love with her." Klaus was getting tired of having to repeatedly point that out. "And as I said, I don't know. Why? Has something happened?"

Elena took the phone back and sighed, seeming to finally believe Klaus's story, "She left the day after she returned from your family thing and we haven't seen her since, we thought maybe she was with you but she hasn't been returning our calls."

Klaus felt the world collapsing under him, "She hasn't been answering me either."

"That's not surprising." Katherine commented in the background.

"I'm coming over." Klaus hung up the phone before the twins could tell him to stay put. Kol was on his feet now, begging to know what was going on. "Caroline's gone missing, hasn't been home since the day she got back from our place." Of course Kol was right behind his brother as they made their way downstairs.

This was for Caroline after all, and if anything happened to her Klaus wouldn't be able to ever stop blaming himself.


	10. Chapter 10: Miss You

**So I hope you all enjoyed that last chapter! I felt like it was too short but I didn't want to drag it on, it was kind of just a filler chapter I guess!**

**I GOT MY NEW KITTEN! I named him Abraham or Abey for short, he's the cutest and currently enjoys waking me up during the night, oh well!**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter and review please!**

**(THERE ARE A LOT OF TRIGGER WARNINGS IN THIS STORY AND IM SO SORRY I HAVEN'T BEEN TELLING PEOPLE. THIS STORY CONTAINS MENTIONS OF DEPRESSION, MENTIONS OF RAPE, ABUSE AND IF ANYTHING ELSE POPS UP I'LL TELL YOU)**

**_Nights I Can't Remember_**

Klaus's first instinct was to panic, to throw a punch at a brick wall on their way towards the street, to scream in frustration directed at nothing in particular just because he felt it was necessary. Kol didn't tell him to calm down; even from the side of his eye Klaus could see that his brother was having his own panic attack just much less theatrical about it.

He was usually not very clumsy but as he tracked the path he'd taken weeks before from Radio to Caroline's apartment, he nearly tripped over his own feet a bundle of times. His legs were shaking, his breath was coming out in heavy handfuls and Klaus wanted to slap himself into shape. He was making a fool of himself but what else was he supposed to do? Caroline was missing, anything could be happening to her. She could be crying alone in an ally, or fatality wounded on the side of the road or even worse, dead.

They made wonderful progress in time as they started to run, cutting through backyards, ignoring the deathly screams of angry homeowners. Kol probably would have made a comment only he thought was funny about the woman who came out of her house in her bra and underwear swinging a frying pan but he didn't. Klaus admired him for that for almost two whole seconds until the building he was searching for came into view.

Elena let them in seconds after they buzzed, Klaus took two steps at a time to try and reach her floor faster. He had to admit that he felt like a complete fool getting so worked up, but at least he was showing some form of emotion instead of his blank nothingness that he'd been consumed with lately. Kol knocked on the door to find a disgruntled Elena standing there, ushering them inside.

Klaus was first to speak, "Where the hell did she go?" He wasn't exactly mad at anybody in particular he was just mad in general, but Klaus was never good with emotions and so poor Elena was getting the brunt of the yelling. "Did she tell you where?"

"Stop screaming at me!" Elena commanded, obviously unaware at just how violent Klaus could get. Kol placed a hand on Klaus's shoulder to calm him down like he always did. "I don't know exactly where she is, all I know is that she got paged to a client in Dorchester and she was going to call but she never did." Klaus ran a hand through his hair. "We're just as worried as you are."

Katherine was leaning against the island in the kitchen area, glaring at Klaus as if he had been the one to kidnap Caroline, "Probably more than you are actually, since well she's our best friend."

Klaus tried to ignore that but he couldn't. Caroline was more to him than just a casual hook up, or somebody to talk to, or a pretty face. Caroline was everything that actually made him feel like a good person, because God knows that Klaus was a horrid individual but when he was with Caroline it was as if she moulded her bubble of light around him so that he was also this miraculously perfect person. She injected him with her loveliness so much so that Klaus began to believe in his own personal wonder.

"I'll ignore that seeing as Caroline wouldn't like it if I were to hurt her best friend." Klaus said the last part with venom in his mouth but Katherine didn't take notice. She wiggled her eyebrows smugly before standing straight up and moving towards her twin sister. "We need to head to Dorchester." Klaus declared.

Elena looked at Katherine, "We were going to drive there if you wanted to come along."

Kol smirked, "Oh goody, a trip with dear Katherine." Klaus elbowed him roughly in the ribs, causing him to lose his breath for a moment. "In a polite and reasonable manner of course."

Katherine rolled her eyes as she walked passed them towards the door, "Well hurry up we can take my car." They shuffled out in single file behind her which Klaus felt like it made them seem childish but alas they were. Both girls were selling themselves for money when they could probably get better jobs, Kol was living off of their parents funds and Klaus was trying to become an artist, all four of them had not made brilliant life choices.

Katherine said that Klaus could drive since she didn't feel like it and so she tossed him the keys and slid in the back with Elena. Kol nodded at his brother when he joined him up front. As soon as the keys were starting the engine, Klaus was taking off from his parking space and heading towards Dorchester. The streets were cluttered with pedestrians Klaus wished he could run over without being charged for murder, but the rules of the road gave them the right away and so he allowed them to walk across safely.

The silence became unbearable as they drove; Klaus was drumming his fingers along the steering wheel when he decided to cut the nothingness in the car. "So are you sure you don't know which client it was?"

Katherine groaned, slamming her head back against the seat, "If we knew we would have told you." Elena gave her sister side eyes letting her know to shut up or they'd probably end of crashing the car because Klaus was arguing with Katherine.

Elena sighed, "She'd never use her real name either." There was a pain in Klaus's chest that only lasted a moment but it was enough to grab his attention.

Cautiously he asked, "Her name isn't Caroline?"

Katherine snorted, Elena shoved her knee, "No it is Caroline. Usually she gives clients another name like-"

"Amanda?" Kol and Klaus said in unison. The twins looked at each other as the tension in the car seemed to become a little thinner.

Nodding Elena agreed with them. Klaus's heart pattered a little slower but not by much, knowing that Caroline had never lied to him about her name he felt a tinge of meaning. However, she was still missing so Klaus couldn't let himself wander off into the darkest corners of his mind to dwell on the Caroline name situation.

Kol turned around in his seat so that one of his legs was up against the cup holders. He smirked at Katherine the way a serial killer would after they found their pray and it was undoubtedly disturbing. Klaus watched from the mirrors as best as he could. While the light started to break from behind the clouds, Klaus noticed a sign telling them that Dorchester was only two miles away.

Dimming his smile down to a little less terrifying setting Kol asked, "Did she say anything that might give her location away?"

Elena shook her head solemnly at first, she looked completely devastated that she couldn't remember anything, but then her eyes lit up and she jumped in her seat. "Vance. She said something about a Vance on the phone I remember hearing through the bathroom wall."

Katherine cocked an interested eyebrow, "Vance? I have no clue who that is." She looked exceptionally confused as to why she'd never heard that name.

"Do you mean Vance Roberts the football coach?" All eyes -besides Klaus's- turned to look at him. "He lives in Dorchester I'm almost certain."

What happened next was so unexpected that it scared them all to death. Katherine grabbed hold of Kol's face and pulled him into a kiss. Klaus would have chuckled about the expression Kol was wearing but he was too filled with bottomless rage to even think about puny laughter. "So we find the asshole and rip his lungs out." Klaus suggested.

Katherine wiped the corner of her mouth dry with her index finger, "Sounds like a plan."

Kol led them in the direction of Vance's house because apparently his friend Edward had taken him to a party there once. That might have been how Vance had found out about Caroline. Klaus nearly took a wrong turn to the right when Kol was chatting with the girls in the back but luckily his idiot brother snapped out of it quick enough to fling his arm to the left as a sign to turn the same way.

The mansion of Vance Roberts was twice whatever they were expecting. Lavish fields of flowers, trees that lumbered over the building at a terrifying height, and a giant fountain smack in the middle of a circular driveway. The mansion itself was comparable to Jay Gatsby. Klaus was forced to read that as a teenager and he'd never admit it but he'd always admired Jay no matter how obsessive and crazy he was.

Klaus drove up to the gate where Elena pointed out an intercom. Kol held up his hand in Klaus's face, "I'll take this." He bent over his brother which was so completely annoying Klaus would have punched him in the neck if it hadn't been for Caroline's benefit. Kol reached over and pressed the button, "Hello this is Kol Mikaelson I'm a friend of Edward's." He paused, "I was wondering if I could talk to Mr. Roberts."

The intercom voice sounded slightly feminine but was a man, "I'm sorry Mr. Roberts isn't available."

Kol looked at his car buddies worried then back to the intercom, "Please it's very important!"

Once again the voice denied them access, "I'm sorry Mr. Mikaelson but you'll have to either book an appointment or try again another day."

Klaus's fist gripped the steering wheel in unimaginable anger. They were only one drive way and a gate away from the building where Caroline's mystery could be solved and he'd be damned if a fucking intercom voice was going to stop him from saving her. He pushed Kol back into his seat abruptly before backed the car up so he could get a fast start. "What the hell?!" Kol yelled.

Katherine immediately caught on to what he was about to do and shot forward to grab his arm, "Do not break my car or I'll break your neck!" Klaus shook her off, looking back towards the mansion. "I swear to got I will kill you Mikaelson!" She was fighting against Elena at this point because now Katherine was standing and trying to wrestle the wheel from Klaus.

Everybody was yelling, kicking, and punching as they tried to get their way. Nobody noticed the intense ringing from Klaus's pocket until it was almost too late. "WAIT!" Klaus screamed silencing them all until it was the only noise left in the vehicle. "If you all don't shut up I will drive this car into a lake."

There were no nearby lakes Klaus could use to follow through on his promise but it seemed to do its job quite well because everybody returned to their original seating positions. He jumbled with the phone for a moment until he was able to take it out of his trousers and hit talk, "Hello?" He asked.

"Niklaus?" A familiar voice asked.

Klaus nearly chucked the phone out of the window but he decided to just roll his eyes instead, "Dear brother Finn, how may I help you?" Kol looked surprised as he turned his head towards the other side of the car.

Finn didn't seem to notice the annoyance Klaus was conveying, "I only called to inform you there is a woman here in the hospital refusing to call home or get in contact with anybody but I recognized her as the woman you brought to dinner."

He stiffened. "Caroline is there?"

Amongst all the fighting and worry Klaus had forgotten that Finn was a Doctor at Dorchester General Hospital. How had he been so stupid to forget such a detail? He supposed that at the beginning the hospital for Caroline's place of hide out wasn't his first option but he should have at least made the connection.

Finn finally answered after a few seconds of exaggerated pausing, "Yes, she's here. I would be very glad if you would take her off of our hands." Klaus knew what he meant by that. She was a prostitute and he didn't want her stinking up his hospital.

Klaus hung up the phone, "Caroline is at the hospital and she's refusing to call anybody for a ride home."

Elena appeared between the two front seats, "Is she hurt?"

He began to back the car out of the driveway, "Not that I'm aware of." Klaus did know that if that bastard laid one finger on her, he was a dead man.

**-o-**

The hospital was buzzing with people that all four of them ignored as they walked fiercely through the hallways to get to the reception desk. The woman was dark skinned, and extremely gorgeous, she looked up as soon as they approached, "Hello how may I help you?"

Klaus answered right away, "We're looking for Car-" Katherine cleared her throat extremely loud to signal that Klaus should not be asking for Caroline's real name. "Dr. Mikaelson." He answered through gritted teeth. The woman was hesitant at first but she soon paged their rigid older brother.

Finn appeared momentarily, looking no less annoyed with Klaus than he had the night of their family get together. He nodded at Kol with slightly more affection than he did Klaus but Klaus tried not to get angry about it when Caroline was so close. Finn led them through a twisting maze of hallways all filled with vile smelling patients, an overwhelming sense of sadness and nurses that looked like they didn't give a damn about anything around them.

Finally they stopped at a purple door that was halfway closed, the sound of cartoons playing through the crack between the wall and the doorway. Finn warned them that she's been hostile ever since she woke up from her drug induced coma the night before. Klaus didn't like the sound of that sentence one bit.

Caroline was hooked up to an IV; her hair was up in a messy ponytail, and her skin was as pale as newly fallen snow. She didn't quite resemble like herself anymore but whenever she looked at them, her eyes still screamed Caroline. They were large and fiery the way Klaus remembered them. "What the hell?" She asked.

Klaus realized maybe too late that she wasn't happy about his being here, she looked angry at the sight of him. However the moment Katherine and Elena broke through from behind him Caroline smiled sheepishly and brought them in for hugs. "How are you here?"

"Klaus's brother called us." Elena explained, running a hand down Caroline's hair. Or where it would be if she didn't have it up. Caroline groaned from somewhere under Katherine's body. "I assumed you told him to shut up and call you Amanda?"

The twins moved away, allowing Caroline's smile to illuminate the room once again. "Of course I did but apparently he didn't."

Klaus didn't waste anymore time in idle chit-chat he wanted to get to the bottom of this. "What happened to you?" Klaus asked, walking forward so that he was beside Elena.

Caroline crossed her arms, "I'm not talking about it." Klaus couldn't believe it. "Go away."

Klaus felt his face flush red but not because he was embarrassed because 1) Caroline was being completely childish and unnecessarily rude and 2) he had an overpowering urge to punish somebody for Caroline's hospitalization. "Caroline, what happened?"

"Just back off." Katherine growled standing on the other side of the hospital bed in a stance that Klaus knew might end in her leaping over Caroline and tackling him to the ground.

Kol was still hanging back in the doorway, afraid he might upset the balance of it all. "I want to know what happened because I care about you Caroline." Klaus voice nearly broke at the end of his sentence, "that's why I'm here."

She looked at him sternly, the way she did when they first met. She hadn't wanted his help then; she believed she was fully capable of tossing that man off of her without Klaus coming to her rescue. "I didn't ask you to." Caroline finally spat out.

The room went silence for what seemed like hours, the ticking of a stone cold clock was the only noise besides the different levels of breathing within the room. Caroline couldn't peel her eyes away from Klaus but the same went for him. It wasn't in a romantic sort of way, more of a completely caught off guard by what they were supposed to do next kind of way. He wanted to reach out and touch her, just to see if she was still herself but Klaus knew that she was the exact same Caroline as the last time he'd seen her storming off down the street. "Give us a moment." Klaus ordered.

The twins held back but Caroline nodded to let them know it was okay for them to leave Klaus and her alone. They shuffled back to where Kol was standing; he gave Caroline a nod and smile before shutting the door behind him.

There was nothing Klaus could say that would make Caroline ease up on how angry she was. "What have I done Caroline?"

She huffed, "I just don't want you here alright? I don't want you to see me like this." He stared at her quizzically, she was just a patient in the hospital there was nothing to be ashamed of. "You know about my job but you don't get it. You don't understand that some people are assholes, but it pays the bills and yeah I could probably buy a real house but I don't want to." Klaus was only silent because Caroline was not looking at him anymore instead she was flailing her arms around and yelling at the brick wall. "I live this way and I get it but you don't! You think I need to be saved and protected but I can take care of myself!"

Klaus finally interrupted her, "Just tell me what happened."

She let herself calm down, evening her breaths to that of the average human being. Caroline's voice came out as a strained whisper, "I went to the mansion to do my thing and he drugged me, all I know is that I woke up here. End of story." But that couldn't be the end of it because all he could picture was the slimy hands of some rich, fat, balding man touching his wonderful and pure Caroline. Even though she was anything but pure. She was the golden sun in a world where Klaus lived in darkness, despite her discrepancies in a life revolving around selling her body for money.

There was a quick tap on the door that neither one felt like answering, luckily the knocker walked in anyways. It was Finn. "Is everything alright here?" He used his calming and authoritative Doctor Tone but Klaus knew the meaning behind every syllable. "Caroline it looks like you're good to head back home."

"Amanda." She grumbled.

The drive back was filled with unannounced tension and anger. Caroline sat in the middle seat, between an unnaturally quiet Kol and a worrisome Elena. Katherine was driving this time, hands wrapped around the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. Nevertheless the only person in the car that Klaus really cared about was Caroline. She still looked sickly as the shadows of passing objects found their way into the car and danced across her face. Klaus sat in the passenger seat and tried not to imagine all of the horrible things that could have been done to her while she was unconscious. Caroline didn't deserve it and the fact that she believed it was all just part of the job boiled his anger until he felt like ripping his hair out.

They got back at the girls flat and they all filed out. Katherine stalked off without so much as a word to them and Klaus was almost positive she was going to go punch a hole in a wall. He felt like doing that himself. Elena had her arm around Caroline's shoulders, "Bye guys." Elena said, waving to them gently.

But Caroline didn't say anything and that's what hurt Klaus the most.

Kol tapped his brother's arm and motioned that they should start walking home. The sky was filled with endless black at that point so it was probably going to be harder to spot familiar landmarks that would lead them home. About halfway back to their own flat Kol turned to Klaus, "I don't think she needs a hero mate." Klaus didn't respond because his jaw was stuck in a position of rage. "I think she needs understanding."

Klaus sincerely hated when Kol was right.


	11. Chapter 11: Blank Page

**So I'm aware of how poor my last two chapter were, I apologize, I'm hoping this one will be so much better that it'll make you keep wanting to read !**

**Review are always welcomed, they motivate me so much more! So thank you guys!**

**So I've gotten a couple comments about why Caroline is pushing Klaus away so much and I've got this idea that Caroline is just so used to people only paying for her to love them, or being disgusted when they find out what she does but Klaus doesn't and so she's kind of uncomfortable with that and thinks sometimes he's not true about it. **

**_Nights I Can't Remember_**

Klaus decided to go to class the next morning despite the sounds of displeasure coming from his internal monologue. The last thing he wanted to do was sit in a room full of meaningless people and listen to a professor drone on and on about something Klaus didn't exactly want to learn -or probably already knew to be honest. What he really wanted to do was sit at home with nothing on TV but the endless blackness that resembled the feeling within him. Klaus wasn't depressed, in fact he was fine, he just had an intense hatred for most things and that caused him to be a sufficiently dark person.

However he knew that he needed to pass the class and his recent low attendance mark was dragging him down in terms of overall grades. Sometimes he wondered if going to school was even worth it, he could be like Kol and live off the fortune his parents retained, but Klaus would hate to admit his weakness and give his father the satisfaction. Which was out of the question. So Klaus trudged out of bed with sleep in his eyes and matted hair because his class was at eight in the morning. His first instinct was to get dressed but he needed to shower first, so he picked out his clothes and headed towards the hallway.

Klaus rummaged through the towel closet but his usual towel was missing. He had never been a sentimental person but he quite liked this towel because it wrapped around his waist perfectly so that he never had to hold it up, as well as it was still comfortable after two years of constant usage. So naturally Klaus was allowed to be angry that Kol had probably used his towel and left it rotting on the wooden floor. Since he was cranky and desperate to take a shower so he could wake up, Klaus didn't find a problem in banging on Kol's door for him to get up. It took a total of nine minutes for the younger brother to open wide.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Kol growled, running his hands through the birds nest he called hair.

Composing himself Klaus intertwined his own fingers in front of his body. "Brother," he spoke calmly, "Where is my towel?"

Kol narrowed his eyes, "What?"

"My towel." Klaus repeated as if that wasn't the most random question Kol had received in the last week. Nevertheless, Klaus couldn't find a problem in thwacking on his brothers door until he woke up peevish and sullen with added morning breath. "The white one with the black lining, it's my towel and it's missing."

With a shaking head Kol decided that Klaus was mad, "You're ridiculous! After that Caroline thing you've gone off your rocker. I haven't used your fucking towel." Klaus had the door slammed in his face before he could throw a punch to Kol's neck. Now that he thought about it his question was not in fact ridiculous it was entirely okay for a man to worry about the whereabouts of his towel.

He stormed off towards the bathroom, he'd just have to make due without it because all of the angry thoughts inside of his head were causing affliction within him. Klaus found a substitute towel that was faded pink with a hole in it, but it would have to do. He turned on the water so that it could get steaming hot, because unlike some people, hot showers woke him up. Afterwards he stripped himself to bare skin and waited impatiently for his water to become the correct temperature.

As he waited his mind wondered to the events of the previous evening. Of angry eyes with fire behind them, blond curls that were tied back into a cage so that Klaus could barely see them, words that were never spoken at the end of the night. He gripped the side of the sink and groaned loudly in frustration because he needed those words. He needed Caroline to have said something because the nothingness was worse than anything, especially since she had barely even looked at him. He was holding his eyes closed so tightly that he had to stop so he wouldn't begin to cry. Whenever he opened them he looked around him, noticing the overflow of clothes in the hamper.

Kol was supposed to have done the laundry but obviously that had been missed. Another reason to be aggravated with his brother. That's when Klaus saw it, the black lining of his precious towel. Quickly he dove into the basket, pulling out dirty pants and old t-shirts until the soft and no longer damp fabric of his towel caressed his fingers and he pulled it up towards the surface. Kol was a lying bastard because he had known exactly where Klaus's towel was, he had put it in the hamper.

The water was steaming around the room by that point so Klaus decided it was time for him to jump inside. He set the towel down on top of all of clothing but that's when his eyes came into contact with a line of pink running along the edge of the linen. Klaus grasped the towel and examined what must have been a mistake but as soon as he studied it, there was no blundering what this was. A lipstick smear. Caroline had used Klaus's towel and then tossed it in the hamper.

He felt his lips turn to paper and his tongue to dust, the moisture in the room had leaked through the cracks in the walls until Klaus felt as though he was standing in the desert. God he shouldn't care that Caroline had used his towel but it mattered, and he hated that. Klaus wasn't upset that she had actually used it because that was far from the problem, the problem was that Klaus was in denial about the way he was feeling but he couldn't hide it much longer since he was nearly having a heart attack, stroking the worn out pink stains against the white fabric.

Caroline was out of his life but Klaus needed her so desperately in it.

After what seemed like an hour of Klaus standing naked in the bathroom, thinking about how Caroline needed to be in his life once more, he clambered into the shower and did what he had to do as hastily as he could. As soon as he stepped out, the water dripping off of him at record speed, he went for his towel as a reflex, but then he stopped himself. Not only was it dirty but she had been the last one to use it. Silently he placed it down and picked up his substitute towel.

Kol appeared to have fallen back asleep by the time Klaus was heading off for class but he knew that he'd been given the third degree as soon as his shoes crossed the threshold. However, then Klaus would have plenty of time to punch his brother in the neck.

Class was relatively boring, as per usual. Klaus spent most of the time doodling in his scribbler, but he wasn't drawing stupid cartoon rabbits or those weird graffiti S's, no Klaus was drawing the only person who caused him staggering emotional turmoil. Caroline. There was so much left he didn't know about her but he had a thirst to learn. Was she an only child? Mother and father together? How did she end up the way she is? What is her favourite childhood movie? Or cartoon? The questions were moronic but they were essential to Klaus because he just wanted to know everything. To just hold her in his arms and listen as she spoke of fairytale dreams and movie star crushes.

Regularly Klaus would run out of the room the moment that class was dismissed but this time he hung back, slowly but steadily gathering his items. He noticed that Hayley girl leaving the class in the arms of some brown haired boy with an odd nose. Klaus was at least glad to know she wasn't too heart broken over him, though he didn't exactly care much about it.

As he stood to leave his professor called his name, "Mr. Mikaelson, can you come here for a moment?" The man was nice but Klaus didn't feel like speaking to anybody who wasn't blond, perky and devastatingly gorgeous.

Regardless he treaded towards his professor. "Yes?" He inquired.

He pulled out a square object with a white sheet cover it. Klaus was not stupid, he knew it was a painting but he pretended that he had no idea what the guy was about to discuss with him. Had his painting been too obvious? Did he know Caroline and perceive it as inappropriate? The sheet was pulled off to reveal the painting of Caroline surrounded by light and darkness, battling each other with her in the middle.

The Professor straightened his glasses, "Mr. Mikaelson I'm very pleased with your work." Klaus would have smiled but he wasn't in the mood. Looking at the painting brought back memories of her, of cascading hair and brilliant thoughts, of beauty and radiance, of everything he was missing in himself. "I must say that it has got me confused which was the purpose of the project so bravo to you." Klaus nodded. "However, if I'm not overstepping boundaries, may I ask what it must mean?"

At first Klaus was hesitant because he couldn't be the only kid that left the professor wondering so why was he signalled out? But then he thought that he may as well tell somebody. "There's this girl," he began. Klaus wasn't a mushy gushy feelings man; the words didn't flow effortlessly for him which is why he hadn't tried to become a writer. "She's the most wonderful person on this planet, and trust me I've met some of the most wretched." He included among those horrid people. "But, she's not like them she's different. She's the sunset every night before bed because she's one of the most beautiful things you could ever see, she's the kind of story you read without stopping because nothing will ever compare to the feeling you get while you read it. She's the better half to any person, most importantly me." He paused; he couldn't believe he'd just spoken any of those words. They were thoughtful and meaningful, they let the professor think of him as more than just a grumpy collage student and that made Klaus angry at himself. However he was on a role, the words that were once so jumbled became straight and easy to produce. "Her whole life nowadays is surrounded by evils that she can't escape no matter how hard I try to get her out; she likes it where she is. Maybe she's stupid or maybe she's just stubborn, or happy, but even in the darkest of times she represents a beacon of the goodness in all of us, no matter what kind of sinister things are haunting you." He had to look down out of embarrassment.

Even though Klaus wasn't looking at his professor he could nearly hear his smile, but he definitely heard the laughter, "Why, Mr. Mikaelson, you sure you're not in love?"

His head shot up in surprise, "No I'm not." He urged trying to get his point across heavily. Klaus didn't do love, love tore things apart until they were messes upon the sidewalk.

The professor placed the sheet over the painting again before sliding it back into its previous hiding spot. "Maybe if you tell yourself that another hundred times you'll believe it."

-o-

Life altering events in the movies depict the main character gaining knowledgeable words of wisdom from an old man while inspirational music plays in the background. Klaus felt like his life was now a romantic comedy seeing as the moment he stepped foot outside of the building a woman was playing some kind of nineties music that usually made teenage girls have knots in their stomachs and the need to do something epic. Klaus only wanted to pick up the I-pod and smash it against the cobblestone walkway, but he refrained from a potential run in with the law.

Klaus wasn't in love with Caroline because love was for suckers. For people who liked having their hearts torn in a million pieces, who liked feeling as if the whole world had dropped from under them once their significant other ditched town. Klaus wasn't one of those people, he was smarter than that. Love was a weakness, not strength. No matter how hard Rebekah had tried to convince him love was beautiful he had laughed in her face and stomped on her argument because no matter what she babbled to him, he hated love.

It was just a lie, something parents told little kids to make them have hopes and dreams, to aspire to be a happy teenager. However with the rate of depression going through the roof they obviously weren't doing their jobs correctly. Klaus kicked a rock against the pavement, watching it skid across the grass. His mother had been promised a life filled with love by Mikael but she'd received a handful of annoying, bickering and snobby children along with a husband who cheats on her and spits in the face of love. Why would Klaus want that?

So no, he was definitely not in love with Caroline. He just deeply cared about her, more than any other woman in the world.

He arrived at his flat, using the lift instead of the stairs because he was in no mood to have to walk up all of them. It had been a rough two days so he figured he was allowed the leisure of elevator usage. What he hadn't expected when he opened the door was to hear a familiar female voice coming from the living room. Klaus slowly inched his way inside -without closing the door- and listened intently to whomever was speaking.

It was Kol and … Caroline. She didn't sound like she was there physically however; Klaus assumed that Kol had to be talking to her on speaker phone for whatever reason. The pit of Klaus's stomach dropped because how dare she speak to Kol before even uttering a word to Klaus, he deserved to hear her voice pointed in his direction. Not Kol. He had to stop himself from barging in the room immediately.

Kol sounded concerned, the tone of his voice was something Klaus had never heard before, and perhaps his brother was nicer than he liked to let people believe. "Caroline, you can't let that get in the way." Klaus leaned closer. "I know you don't get it but Niklaus isn't the normal clientele you're used to dealing with."

She huffed, or at least it sounded as so. As far as Klaus knew she could have been moving around on the other end. "You don't think I know that? God, he's so infuriating sometimes!" Kol didn't say anything he just let her continue on. "I mean, I can't stand the protectiveness and the anger issues but I still want him around you know?"

"Not really but continue." Kol chuckled. Klaus rolled his eyes at his brother's attempt at a sarcastic joke.

Caroline's bitch face could be heard over the silent phone line. "Kol this isn't funny. God, I can't believe we're even talking about this!" She sounded upset, which Klaus didn't enjoy hearing. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and make sure she was safe. "I just, I don't know how long I can be around him any more without being his girlfriend."

Kol's tone turned happy, "Dear Caroline I think you may be falling!" That was all Klaus could handle hearing from the two of them. Quietly he snuck back towards the door and slammed it shut, letting Kol know that he was now back inside the vicinity. "Got to go!" He said quickly before Klaus walked into the living room.

Klaus nodded at Kol quickly before stalking off to his room. He didn't want to speak with his traitor of a brother about the woman he couldn't have even though she may want him. Everything was wretched and Klaus blamed himself for it. Caroline couldn't be around him without wanting to be with him, but she couldn't be with him because of her job which she refused to give up for an insane reason. Honestly Klaus would have paid a million dollars to crack into her cranium and figure out why she wanted to be stuck in the prostitute lifestyle.

Caroline's words didn't fully sink in until an hour later when Klaus was lying in his bed, watching cracks in the ceiling form shapes of nothing. Caroline wanted to date him. _Him_. Klaus the worthless, over tempered, piece of crap that didn't think of anybody but himself. Caroline wanted him.

Klaus wanted to run all the way to Caroline's flat but as he peered at the clock he noticed the time was probably too late to go knocking on her door. Mostly because she would be at work. He had to admit that he missed the nights she'd take off to come be with him, whether they had sex or just sat there in silence as Caroline admired his paintings and he wondered if she had ever aspired to be an artist or a musician when she grew up. He missed the scent she left after she got up from the pillows and hurriedly dressed her self, or when she kissed him but lingered there longer than any friends with benefits should. Klaus missed simple yet powerful things, things he'd find a way to gain back.

He'd find her tomorrow and make her understand.

-o-

The Tomorrow Plan didn't work out the way Klaus had intended it to. He made a mental note that after class he'd call Caroline and ask to meet her somewhere but even as he thought of dialling her number his fingers grew heavy and he couldn't manage to make him self go through with it. He was seething with rage towards himself because The Tomorrow Plan turned into Two Day After Tomorrow Plan. Klaus managed to haul himself up from the couch where he'd been mindlessly reading a book, seeing the words but not comprehending them. Kol noticed his departure but didn't comment on it.

There was no time for taxis this time around, Klaus stuck to walking. The pathway to Caroline's house was now rooted inside of his brain so when he turned down a side street without thinking, it make him do a double take. But no, he was definitely going in the right direction because there was a small blue house on the corner with a ceramic cow in the front yard that Klaus always spat at when he saw it. Not literally but inside of his head he cringed.

The Little White House came into view as Klaus passed through somebody's back yard. As a kid he'd never had the luxury of running around with his siblings through neighbour's yards playing tag. Mikael believed his children had to be smart and so they all read or wrote or painted or did something that stimulated the brain until it was time for bed. As they grew older they stopped following Mikael's lead as a Tyrant and began making their own choices, which didn't seem to get them many good places in life. Half of them were still dependent on their parent's money and the other half didn't have a job.

Caroline's floor was dead silent, which Klaus hoped wasn't a bad thing. As he approached the door he prayed that Elena and Katherine weren't home because he wanted to have a moment with Caroline alone. He knocked lightly at first, so lightly that it could barely be heard, so he knocked harder this time. Maybe too hard because when Caroline swung open the door she looked mad.

That faded as soon as she saw Klaus. She gulped away her angry expression and gave him a look over, faded jeans, white shirt and green jacket. Caroline on the other hand was wearing a strapless floral dress with her hair curled; she was even wearing high heels. Klaus found that part ridiculous since she was inside but she looked so breathtaking he didn't care. Her skin wasn't as pale and sickly, her makeup looked a little fresher and she seemed to have gained a little weight since being in the hospital.

"Klaus?" She breathed out his name so softly he nearly buckled.

He nodded, because 1) that was his name and 2) he had nothing better to say to her. He'd made a plan to come to her house and speak with her but in the process he never actually decided what he was going to preach. He had to think quickly if he didn't want to sound like an idiot. "Hi." Smooth.

She smiled a tad, as if she was happy to see him. Last time they met she'd been furious with his very presence. "Why are you-?" She let the rest of the question hang in the air because there were so many plausible endings.

Klaus cleared his throat, "I know that our last meeting was disastrous but I've come to the idea that perhaps I was wrong to question your lifestyle." Caroline raised a satisfied eyebrow. "I would very much appreciate if all was forgiven."

Caroline hesitated, placing a delicate hand on the door to that she was leaning against it with her whole body. Klaus had to admire the way the dress hugged her curves in that position. "I accept." She finally admitted.

Klaus smiled at the floor, letting his dimples shine out. No more longing to hold her because she was finally back. No more moping or wondering, or staring at nothing until his brain went fuzzy because she wasn't there to lighten his day. In a moment of overwhelming happiness Klaus did the one thing he'd been longing to do. He leaned forwards and kissed her hard. She merged her lips into his, allowing him to push her inside of the doorframe, and from the feeling of how hard she was kissing him, Klaus would have guessed that she had missed him too.

"There is one thing I must say," he pulled away from her, resting his forehead against hers so that their eyes were glued to each other. Caroline's were piercing through him with that look of premonition, as if she knew exactly what he was about to confess to her. Slowly he said, "I don't care who you were before Caroline," she smiled, "you're mine now." Klaus kissed her again, harder this time, letting his tongue run along her bottom lip as he sucked in that sweet smell of roses and honey. The smell of Caroline.

Klaus trailed his hands down her thigh, digging nails into her bare skin at the hem of her dress before pulling the fabric upwards. Caroline reached down to his fingers and pushed them away from her body. "Trust me I really want to but Katherine and Elena are here and I'd rather them not hear us." Her voice was like velvet against his ear as she spoke in hushed tones. "Why don't we just talk?" She offered.

Honestly he'd take what he could get that this point. "Alright then." He agreed. Caroline gave him that perky smile where her shoulders bobbed and her hair danced around her face before she slithered her fingers between his and led him down the hallway. Caroline's room hadn't change much since the last time Klaus had seen it, except right now the sun was streaming through the window so that there were bars running across the wall. Almost like a prison cell. She moved ahead of him, taking a seat on her bed where she expected him to join her but Klaus held back because he noticed something. There was a picture hanging on the opposite wall, a little boy curled into himself with his blanket swaddled around his bottom half.

He didn't recognize it at first but then it flashed back into his mind, mid-November last year when Kol had taken a weekend vacation and Klaus felt like he was missing something in life. He thought about going home, to see his mother but then he didn't because of Mikael and the sorrow that always seemed to follow him. So Klaus painted instead, painted that little boy he once was who heard Mikael throwing bottles of whiskey over his mothers head when he thought the children had all gone to sleep.

"Is that my painting?" He wasn't angry that she had taken it, just surprised to find it somewhere other then the bottom of a pile in his room. Klaus watched Caroline's whole face turn red before she looked down at her feet.

Softly she said, "Please don't be angry."

"I'm not." He clarified. This was the only time somebody other than himself or immediate family had taken his work and hung it up. Esther used to do a rotating schedule of who got their art on the fridge but Klaus always got his put up a couple days more than the others because everybody said they liked his better. Perhaps that's where his selfish and narcissistic personality bloomed from. "Why do you have it?"

Caroline looked up now, eyes running across Klaus's face like she was scared he would blow up at any minute. "I was waiting for you once and I wondered in the room and looked around a bit. I found it at the bottom of a pile and it just called out to me you know?" Klaus did know in a sense. "I knew you wouldn't miss it or notice it being gone so I snuck it to my house than came back to your apartment." The difference between American and British people flowed out when Caroline talked about things like apartments, because they were flats.

Klaus felt almost honoured, "I'm glad you have it." It wasn't going anywhere special anyways, might as well let Caroline own it and appreciate it.

He felt a hand against his own, Caroline was tugging him towards her on the bed, willing him to sit beside her. Klaus didn't argue being around her was like breathing in fresh air. She smiled at him, "This is fucked up isn't it?"

Klaus smirked, letting out a small chuckle; "your vocabulary is in need of expansion." She shoved him with her elbow, protesting that they all couldn't be brilliant British men. "You could always try though."

She leaned her chin against his shoulder, looking up at him through her lashes, "Would you still like me is I was a man?"

"Caroline," Klaus spoke in a serious tone, staring into her eyes intensely, "I would like you in any form you came in. Bird, cat, robot."

"Would you have sex with me?" She thoroughly enjoyed making him answer her ridiculous questions.

Klaus was tight lipped for ages before finally admitting, "I'm afraid I'd have to draw the line there." She let out a fit of laughter that sent her flying down onto her back. Klaus watching her, loving the way she did pretty much everything. He felt the need to trail a finger up and down her bare thigh but he resisted, not only because he knew that she didn't want to have sex with him right then, but also because it felt too intimate. They'd had sex dozens of times but it lacked the emotional baring of actual feelings, however Klaus wouldn't touch her at the moment because then it would make it more real.

Her fingers ghosted across his forearm, calling for his attention. Slowly he turned his stare from her legs to her face, marvelling at her beauty. "Yes Love?" He asked. Caroline smiled at the pet name, tilting her head to the side as an invitation for him to lie beside her in the bed. "I don't think so."

"Please?" She sounded so small, so needy, matched with looks to knock a soldier down, Klaus couldn't resist. Gently he fell back beside her, noses grazing against each other. "That's not so bad now is it?" She giggled.

Klaus smiled, letting him self get lost in the sound of her voice, purifying everything inside of him that was dampened by the harshness of his personality. Caroline wasn't a pure person, but she seemed so angelic that Klaus allowed himself to turn a blind eye most of the time. "Tell me about how you started this?" He asked lowly.

She stopped smiling; moving her face to look at the ceiling, "I don't want to."

He was never one to listen. Klaus turned onto his side so that he was peering down at her, noticing the wetness on her face that hadn't been there seconds ago. "Caroline," He spoke, she closed her eyes, "if anybody is going to judge you, it's not me."

There had to be some way to show her that Klaus meant what he said, to let her know that he wouldn't push her away like he was sure so many people had. Klaus cared about her; he let her into his little world of bitterness and allowed her to witness the most fragile parts of him. So why didn't she believe him when he said that he just wanted to know and understand? Perhaps she was just as dead on the inside as he thought he was.

She took in a deep breath, "I never wanted to do this, but what child ever does?" Klaus felt the urge to take her hand but he abstained in fear that she would cower away. "My parents divorced when I was twelve which hit me pretty hard, I never blamed myself like most kids. I mostly blamed Stephen, my dad's new boyfriend." Klaus hadn't seen that coming. Caroline licked her lips. "My mom was never very loving; my dad was the only parent that listened to me. During the middle of senior year he was killed by a drunk driver and I couldn't stand being there anymore so as soon as I turned eighteen I got out of there, but I didn't have plan I just took my collage money and left."

She wouldn't meet his eyes but Caroline had stopped crying by this point, "It's not even that sad of a story, I don't know why I was crying." Her laughter filled the room but it was empty and meaningless. "So I got here and I had nowhere to go, I was living on the streets until I met Elena who told me that I could live with them until I got a place. Eventually they introduced me to the life and I got into it. One night I met this musician and then he told all his friends about me, then all of a sudden I had all of theses high class types requesting me for the night."

Klaus waited for her to compose herself before he declared, "I think you're strong Caroline." Her eyes lit up; staring at him like he was the most amazing person she'd ever seen. Slowly Klaus leaned down to place a delicate kiss onto her lips. One that let Caroline know just how much he admired her. He didn't agree with her lifestyle but she was brave to just take off, to handle the loss of her father. Klaus wondered what it was like to have a dad you actually enjoyed being with.

The bedroom door busted open suddenly, jolting the two away from each other. Katherine stood in the frame, looking guilty at the sight of them on the bed. "Sorry." She squeaked. "I was just wondering if you had any hand cuffs."

Caroline sat up, straightening the end of her dress, "Over in my bag." She pointed towards a small yellow clutch purse nesting on the ground in front of the closet. Katherine retrieved the object, apologizing once more before disappearing from view, closing the door behind her.

Klaus raised an eyebrow, "Why did she need those?"

Her smile was sheepish, "if they ask to handcuff you, you say no but if they want to be handcuff you do it and then steal their wallet." Klaus made a quick glance towards where Katherine had entered and exited. "That's only if they're street customers though." Klaus thought it was pure genius, or pure evil. "Boys never learn … or girls."

That caught his attention, "Girls?"

Caroline shrugged, "Katherine's a lesbian, but she'll have sex with both."

With an open mouth Klaus chuckled in delight. "Kol is going to-"

Surging forward she straddled his waist and placed a finger against his moving lips to hush him. Her head was shaking back and forth, her hair moving along with it almost as if it were billowing in the wind. Klaus wanted to wrap his fingers into it but right now he was working on controlling the problem in his pants because she was currently on top of him. "You can't tell Kol! He pays good money." Klaus agreed to her conditions hurriedly, seeing his brother be swindled was almost as good as him finding out the truth. Her smile went up further on one side than the other, which was one of the sexiest things in the history of the world. "Good, now where were we?" Her lips met his in a passionate embrace.

They kissed for what seemed like hours, touching each other without actually touching each other because Elena was in the other room and Caroline felt tired. She still tasted as pleasant as the first time he'd ever kissed her the night in the ally. That seemed like eons ago to him; he wondered if she ever thought about it the same way he always had it on the back of his mind. A few minutes later Caroline pulled away, "I'm tired." She confessed, untangling herself from him so that she could crawl to the pillow and rest. Klaus stood to leave but she protested, "No, stay." He watched her laying there like a freshly picked flower that still retained its beauty, even though it was broken, and his heart flipped. He did what any sensible man would do, he moved beside her, letting their noses touch as they had prier to the Caroline history lesson.

Klaus fell asleep listening to her breathing, gentle and soft.


	12. Chapter 12: Demons

**Hope you all liked the last chapter! I know I did ****J**** But you can never have a good thing for too long right? (I know that sucks but oh well)**

**If you enjoy this let me know! If you hate it let me know! Just let a girl know! Thank you for reading it!**

**_Nights I Can't Remember_**

Dating Caroline Forbes was an adventure all its own. It was not a common relationship or one that was particularly easy but they worked with what they had. Klaus and Caroline didn't understand the value of communication, there were times when Caroline would get pissed off and leave the flat telling him not to talk to her for almost three days. Or Klaus wouldn't feel the need to let her leave to go to work and they'd have a fight. They fought so much that Kol decided that he was going to have to move out -though he'd never actually go through with it.

But it wasn't all bad. Klaus loved spending the night with her, holding her body close, trailing his fingers along the bare skin on her thighs and stomach. Pressing his face into her hair, letting her scent overtake him. Caroline would smile at him in the dawn of the new day, teasing him about morning wood. Sometimes he'd return from class and find her napping on the couch, drool spilling out from the side of her face and he'd sketch her, one leg sticking out of the covers and bed head that resembled an electric chair victim. Then there was the availability Klaus had to just holding her, or kissing her. He was allowed to scoop her into his arms and hold her against his chest just because he felt the need too.

The sex didn't stop either, all her free time she spent with him and when they weren't doing anything particularly interesting, they'd have sex. After awhile you'd think it would get boring or tiresome but neither one found a fault in each others bodies. They moved together effortlessly, and passionately. Nails, teeth, biting, sucking, kissing, groaning, everything that made Klaus want more.

It had been an entire month since the day at Caroline's flat when finally Klaus had put on his big boy pants and told Caroline how he was feeling, how he wanted to be with her. Nothing they did was separate or without thought of each other, and honestly their relationship was much longer if you counted in the weeks when they'd been too caught up in their friends with benefits act to care.

But no matter what, there was absolutely no saying I love you.

Kol noticed this phenomenon which wasn't actually that surprising around the end of the month and brought it up after Caroline had left for work. "Still too emotionally constipated to say I love you?" He grinned smugly. Klaus ignored him because he didn't feel too keen on fighting in that moment. However, he was not afraid to say I love you he just did not want to say it, and he had a sneaking suspicion that neither did Caroline.

"Leave it alone Kol." He said lowly, nearly at a growl. The younger Mikaelson caught the drift and back off, surrendering his hands. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

Kol look at the clock, "Right I'm meeting Jeremy at the bar, want to come along?" It seemed like years ago since the first time Kol had asked Klaus to come with him to the bar; to the place he met Caroline. His life was a whole new novel now. He could go with Kol, enjoy a drink and then come back and wait until the next morning when he'd see Caroline and tell her about his journey. Or he could paint instead. Klaus enjoyed solitude but his life seemed to become a pattern of home, school, Caroline, Kol, sleep. "Sure." He agreed.

That seemed to surprise Kol, "really?" Klaus nodded, "Well get ready mate, I'm heading out soon."

Klaus did as Kol instructed, grabbing a simple grey v-neck and black pants. He met his brother out in the living room, who was using the television reflection to perfect his hair. "Don't I look handsome?" Klaus snorted. Kol smirked at his own reflection before standing upright and clamping a hand down on Klaus's shoulder. "Tonight, we're getting laid."

Having sex with some random woman that Klaus saw at the club didn't sound like a particularly enjoyable time. "You can do that, I'll watch." Kol rolled his eyes. He was so convinced that Klaus was boring now that he was in a relationship, in Klaus's opinion he was more lively. "Besides, depending on where we're going I could probably buy Caroline."

Kol began to walk towards the door, "No matter how many times you say that it still leaves an odd taste in your mouth." Klaus chuckled.

-o-

The music was still just as menacingly loud as the last time Klaus was at Radio. Kol met Jeremy at the bar, who was so intoxicated he could barely see his own hand in front of his face. Klaus found enjoyment in watching him make a fool of himself; Kol was surely going to join him soon.

He had a few girls come up and try to win his companionship but he had to turn them all down. Sure they were attractive but they weren't Caroline, he'd finally gotten her and he wasn't going to throw her out for some bottle blond woman who could barely pronounce her own name right from the amount of alcohol she'd consumed.

About an hour into watching his brother grinding against a petite red head, Klaus needed some fresh air. He tipped the bar tender before snaking his way through the crowd, not afraid to elbow those that stood in his way.

The air outside was almost as pungent as that inside, still thriving with liquor and sweat from customers that wondered around the streets. However, Klaus was going to take what he could get. He leaned his back against the brick wall, feeling the cold through the fabric of his shirt, relishing in the fact that London was usually a damp and horrid place to live. It gave him the ability to become easily cooled down whenever the crowds swarmed him.

A noise broke his train of thought, and usually he'd just ignore it but what had disturbed him were voices. One he recognized to a fault.

From around the corner came a tall rugged man and Caroline. Her arm was looped through his; her smile was bright and forced nothing like the ones he got to see in the mornings when he woke up beside her. Klaus could only stare for a moment as walked towards the cab that they'd called earlier. His mind wasn't really able to process what he was seeing until Caroline's gaze went over the mans shoulder and their eyes locked together.

Her face fell; she looked absolutely devastated that he was there to see in in the middle of her job. Klaus wanted to look away because he didn't want to get himself worked up over something that would cause friction between him and Caroline. His eyes didn't seem to get the memo as he looked them up and down trying to compare himself to the man that had his arms around Caroline's waist.

She tried to steady her emotions before her companion noticed but obviously she wasn't as skilled an actress as she liked to believe. He looked behind her at Klaus who didn't stop watching them even in spite of his brain was screaming. Caroline said something to him that made him turn back around and smile at her. Klaus could only watch in horror as he leaned down to kiss her, grasping her face into his hands with force that seemed a little too rough for Klaus's liking. They clambered into the cab and with a heavy heart Klaus watched them leave.

It took minutes for him to fully comprehended what had just happened, he kept gazing at the space where they'd drove off but nothing seemed to settle until at least five minutes later.

Klaus was angry, boiling hot rage that he'd kept buried was rising to the surface at an escalated rate that even he was frightened of. His body was holding emotions that he didn't know how to deal with, he wanted to scream and rip somebody apart but that wasn't the best option, so Klaus opted for punching a hard brick wall instead.

His hand crumpled from the impact, causing Klaus to scream bloody murder into the night. Everybody stopped to look at him, some with curiosity others with fear. He cradled his hand in his chest with the protectiveness of a lioness. He couldn't stand the fact that while he was going out to clubs only to stand off on the sidelines because he was with Caroline meanwhile she was off fucking some guy from the streets, knowing damn well that he'd just seen her leave.

"Holy shit!" Came a voice that sounded familiar. Klaus turned to find Katherine, dressed in the tiniest purple dress he'd ever seen, along with black lace leggings and boots that tied up to her knee. She looked like a movie prostitute. Her hair fell in front of her face as she starred at Klaus. "What the hell did you do?"

Klaus didn't want to explain his anger so he just held out his broken hand to her. "This."

"Why the fuck did you punch a wall?" Katherine crossed her arms in front of her. They'd never really been the best of friends but Klaus felt like since Caroline and he had gotten together, they'd joined circles.

He grunted in response at first, looking off into the distance to avoid eye contact. Katherine didn't find the reaction to be fitting of the situation, so she began to snap her fingers in front of his face until he turned back to her. Klaus's face scrunched in anger, "I got angry."

She stuck her neck out angrily, "Obviously! Why?"

Klaus's expression remained the same as he spoke, "I saw Caroline." Her intense look softened as she realized what exactly he'd seen Caroline doing. She met his eyes with understanding, almost like she actually cared that he was feeling betrayed. "I need medical attention."

Katherine looked around her, "We can walk back to my building to get the car if you want." Klaus could feel her pity emanating towards him, angering him more than ever. But his hand was starting to bellow out the agony it was in, sending pain shooting through his entire body. Katherine didn't wait for an answer; she nodded her head to the side as she started to walk away, Klaus followed.

They didn't talk on their way back to the apartment, mostly because neither one had anything they wanted to say. Klaus wanted to punch anything he saw within a mile, just to let them know the pain he was feeling at the moment. His angry over Caroline and the torturous feeling his broken hand was giving him combined still wouldn't compare to anything his fist would deliver.

Katherine grabbed her car keys and met Klaus back at the front door. He supposed that he should be thankful somebody was willing to help him, even if it was Katherine. She turned on the radio to drown out the silence. Klaus didn't know what song this was but it sounded like gerbils crying into the speaker. If he wasn't so afraid of the awkward silence that would fall between them, Klaus would have turned it off.

The hospital wasn't as busy as Klaus had thought it would be. The Doctors took him into the room immediately seeing as he had a broken hand, which meant Katherine had to sit out in the waiting room and subject herself to stares from every guy in the room. Too bad for them she preferred girls.

Dr. Howard examined Klaus for what seemed like hours until he finally told him that he'd fractured his knuckles and the base of the bone near his wrist. He was told that he'd only have to wear a splint but if it started to feel uncomfortable then Klaus was to come back into the office and see him. Klaus thanked Dr. Howard before entering into the waiting room.

Katherine was reading a magazine while the guy beside her kept taking glances at the smooth skin that her leggings exposed. Klaus smirked, "All good?" He asked. She looked up immediately, her face contorting into a look of pleasure, knowing full well of the attention she was bringing onto herself.

"I could say the same to you." She stood, pulling the bottom of her dress down to where she wanted it. "Just a splint?"

He shrugged, "I'm lucky."

"I wouldn't say that." Her tone changed from playful to sad instantaneously. Klaus wondered what she exactly meant by that but didn't bring it up.

Upon returning home he thanked her, telling her not to mention it to anybody, especially Caroline. Katherine hesitated but eventually gave Klaus her word, and then she left. Kol was passed out on the couch when Klaus walked inside, drool cascading down his cheek and onto the pillow. Quietly Klaus made his way towards his own bedroom where sleep was awaiting him.

-o-

As soon as Caroline saw Klaus the next day she tired to apologize but Klaus raised his hands to halt her, "its fine Love, honestly." The smile on her face was worth the lie.

Katherine was no where in sight but Elena was lounging on the chair, flicking through channels that all seemed to be playing sports or romantic comedies. Klaus had taken the day away from classes so that he could spend some time with Caroline in her apartment alone, but apparently that wasn't going to happen when one of the twins couldn't take a hint.

So Caroline and Klaus sat on the couch, with her head on his chest as they laid together, Elena's thumb pushing the remote buttons so fast she could have started a fire. Having Caroline there with him, just enjoying the somewhat silence, it felt natural. It all seemed so delicate Klaus knew it was bound to break.

"What happened to your hand?" She inquired, running a finger up and down his arm.

Klaus looked at the splint quickly it was pure white, itchy and a constant reminder that Caroline had gone off with that man the night before. Though he didn't tell her that. "Kol made me angry and I punched the wall." She laughed at him, placing a gentle kiss onto his fist before settling her head back against his chest.

Caroline started to fall asleep about fifteen minutes into their expedition. Klaus wouldn't exactly call it cuddling because they didn't do that kind of thing, but she let herself lay on top of him and settle in which was close enough to cuddling that Klaus smirked. He moved the hair away from her eyes, watching them droop as the tiredness took over. She looked like a small child when she curled into him like that, so tiny and timid but she was nothing like that in her awakened state.

Katherine came storming in a couple minutes later but Caroline didn't move a muscle. She spotted them all huddled together and grunted, "Why wasn't I invited to the orgy?" Elena shook her head while Klaus chuckled. "Glad somebody finds me funny. What about you Care?" She asked while she closed the door.

Klaus put a finger to his lips, "She's sleeping." Katherine shrugged, swaying over towards the hallway and her own bedroom. The silence overcame them once again, this time Elena had shut the television off and sunk into her own chair letting her self slip into a comatose state.

He wanted to pause the moment and just sit there. It was peaceful, quiet and everything he wanted. Perhaps with a little more food and art supplies but being able to relax with Caroline, the light hitting her legs in stripped patterns like a quilt. Klaus wanted to wrap his arms around her, sit there forever and never let go. She was perfect in every sense of the word and all he could think of was how to preserve the moment until he withered away. Though his back was starting to ache from the position he was in, it didn't matter as long as Caroline was there with him.

It seemed Klaus was the only person alive in the flat until a knock on the door woke his comrades up.

Caroline sat up quickly, crushing something in Klaus's leg but he bit his tongue, already angry over the fact that somebody had broken his perfect moment. Elena looked over at the persistent knocking with confusion. "All of us are here, who's knocking?" Klaus was well aware that if it had been Kol he would have only knocked once so that he could get himself stationed outside the door with what he would call a seductive pose.

Jumping up from her spot Caroline declared, "I'll get it!" Klaus watched her closely, not sure what exactly was awaiting her on the other side.

When Caroline opened the door they could all clearly see the figure of a straggly haired woman who had poison bleeding from her glare. Klaus perched on the edge of the cushion, ready to pounce at her if need be. She was breathing heavily, "Are you Amanda?"

Caroline gave Elena a distressed glance, which was returned with a blank expression. Klaus wanted to tell the lady she wasn't home and slam the door shut in her face but Caroline gulped and said, "Yes."

Before anybody knew what was happening the woman slapped Caroline across the face, "Stay away from my husband you tramp!" Klaus erupted from his sitting place but Elena grasped his shirt to hold him back, which caused his rage to build higher.

Caroline held her face as she spoke, tears piercing her eyes, "I didn't know Ma'am I'm sorry. He came to me I didn't-"

"My Husband would never come to you!" She growled, "Stay away." Caroline allowed her to leave without uttering another word. The moment she closed the door her tears started to tumble over.

Elena rushed towards her best friend, releasing her hold on Klaus. Caroline fell into the hug, letting her tears fall quietly. Klaus wanted to help but all he had on his mind was how hard he could punch that woman without getting in trouble.

As soon as Caroline let herself go from Elena she looked to Klaus, tilting his head in solace he said, "Does it hurt?" her chuckle was empty but her eyes were not. A fresh batch of tears came pouring out of her as he picked her up and pushed her against his chest. Her feet were tip toeing on the ground by that point. His moment of earlier relief was now gone. "Come on let's get you some ice."

Caroline sat on the counter while Klaus rummaged through the freezer for an icepack, alas all he could find was a bag of frozen corn and so that would have to suffice. She winced as the frozen object touched her skin but quickly melted into the corn when it started to help her feel better. Klaus watched with pain on his face at the sight of her troubles, "Why do you continue to do this?" He asked lowly.

She looked up through her lashes, "please don't start that again."

"Has it ever happened before?" Klaus leaned forward so that her knees were against his waist, placing both his hands on either side of her body.

Caroline shook her head, "They've never come to find me before, or Amanda I mean." The tired feeling in her voice wasn't from the small nap she'd just taken; it was from the years of constant guilt she'd been keeping. "I hate when they're married, it makes me feel like I'm a horrible person."

Klaus wanted to kiss her forehead and allow her to settle into him but he couldn't because everything was nagging him. "So why don't you just stop?" He offered.

Caroline put the corn down on the table, her cheek still burning red. "We've talked about this Klaus, I like my job! Why can't you just accept that?"

He didn't understand how she couldn't grasp his point of view. He doubted she would enjoy seeing him with his arms around another woman, her hands roaming his body as they made their way towards a cab. The very cab that would transport them back to her house so he could fuck her and get cash.

He growled, "Because I don't like seeing my girlfriend with other people!"

From somewhere down the hall Katherine or Elena grumbled, "Here we go." Both sides of the relationship ignored the twin.

Caroline pushed him way from her with force, allowing her to jump towards the ground. She ruffled her hands through her own hair, "Is it always the jealousy thing?"

Klaus's mouth dropped open, "How am I supposed to not be jealous?!" He screamed, surging forwards to grab her arm and spin her towards him. "How am I supposed to live knowing I'm not the only one you're with?" His voice was low as their noses grazed each other.

Caroline looked scared for a minute before pushing Klaus away, "I'm not stopping Klaus. I'm not coming to my senses. This is my life! I can't do whatever the hell I want!" She balled her fists.

Klaus smirked, "Is that so?" She nodded, "Well congratulations you just lost yourself the only guy in your life that cared about you for more than meaningless sex." As he stomped passed her Caroline didn't try to stop him which was probably beneficial for all. Klaus didn't know how much longer he could stand keeping his anger within before he snapped and put a hole in the wall. He already had one broken hand, he didn't need another.

The slamming door was the only sound Klaus heard besides the blood pumping in his ears as he left the building. It seemed that no matter what they did, they always ended up here: angry, bickering and broken up. Once outside Klaus walked until he couldn't see the flat and began to scream, picking up the nearest medium sized rock he could find and slamming it against a tree. Repeatedly.

-o-

Apparently somebody called Kol between their fight and the time it took him to get back to his own flat because the moment he walked inside, Kol was standing with his arms crossed and his face frozen in disbelief. "What the bloody hell? You two get in more fights then the French."

Klaus strode past him towards the cabinet where they held the liquor, pouring himself a class of whiskey and swallowing it all at once. "I don't want to discuss it."

Kol sounded angry, "Well that's fucking great for you, but we have to talk. I'm tired of you shitting on every good thing that happens to you."

The glass nearly shattered when Klaus slammed it against the counter, "Since when did you start to give a care in the world about my life?!" They held eye contact between them, nearly burning through each other's heads with the sheer force of fire both of them contained. Kol wasn't one to get easily angered but that didn't mean he couldn't be a psychopath if he had to.

"The day I realized you were going to die alone!" Kol grabbed the whiskey and chucked it at the wall, watching it explode. Klaus could only stare at his little brother, "You're pushing away anything good in your life because you think that you deserve to be alone? Why? Because of Mikael?" Klaus's demeanour was that of a killer but Kol didn't shut up. "Stop letting him control your life Niklaus, he's a Bastard and you know that! God why don't you learn to let things go, especially anything he says!"

Klaus took a step forward, "If this is supposed to be some sort of speech to end my self hatred then it's not working."

Kol reached out and grabbed Klaus's shirt, pulling them so close that Kol could probably smell the whiskey on his brothers' breath. "No, this is me telling you that no matter what you do, you fuck it up." Klaus glared. "You fuck it up because you think you have to and you don't. I care because I'm your brother! You're the one that tolerated me most as a kid, not Elijah, not Finn. Why do you think I followed you to London?" Klaus looked away as Kol released his clothing; he always thought it was because Kol had nothing better to do then annoy him. "I did it because I admired you, you were my big brother and you were always the one I looked up to but now I'm not so sure."

Klaus could feel himself deflating in anger. He had no idea that Kol felt that way towards him, that he'd looked up to Klaus as some form of role model. Of course Klaus had fucked it up, Caroline was gone, Stefan was gone, Kol was disappearing. Everything he touched burned. "I didn't know." He admitted.

Seemingly detached from feeling anything other than anger Kol shrugged, "Obviously."

Everything he wanted to speak was waiting on the tip of Klaus's tongue but he didn't know what to say. The words were jumbled together until they knotted and stuck that way. Kol was just watching him, expecting some form of reaction whether it be anger or acceptance and Klaus knew if he didn't speak soon they'd have unfinished business. Finally he was able to say, "thank you."

Kol raised an eyebrow, "Really? That's what you're going with?"

Klaus took a tentative step towards his brother, placing a hand on the younger Mikaelson's shoulder. "I hadn't realized that the reason I was being held back was because I had been doing it to myself, and for that I thank you."

"Yeah well," Kol let out a small smile, "you're welcome."

-o-

When Klaus came out of his art room hours later the whiskey had been cleaned up from the floor and the wall, the class that had also shattered was stored safely away in the garbage can. Kol appeared in the doorway soon enough, smiling at his cleaning job.

"So what are you going to do about Caroline?" He asked leaning against the island. Klaus nearly laughed because that was the exact spot he and Caroline had, had sex but instead he sealed his lips on the subject.

Klaus new that he wanted her to be his again, "I'm going to call her, hopefully we can work it out."

Kol snickered, "You sound like an old man. Not the Klaus I know."

"What can I say?" He smirked, "You knocked some sense into me." They exchanged a smile that only brothers can do before Klaus walked back towards the living room. He paused for a moment. Kol had been honest with him and so Klaus thought he should be honest with his brother, even though Caroline had asked him not to. "Kol?" He called.

Kol turned around, "Yeah?"

Clearing his throat Klaus explained, "Katherine's a lesbian, just don't tell Caroline I told you."

For a second Kol looked upset, until Klaus saw a smirk enter his face, "Really? Think she fucks her sister?"

Why on Earth had Klaus though telling him was a good idea, "You are a horrible person." Kol laughed.

It was almost ten o'clock by that time, which meant that Caroline would probably be leaving the flat, so he'd have to call her cell phone. Kol was watching from the entrance, leaning on the wall with a glass of water in his hands.

She picked up by the third ring. "Hello?"

"Caroline I-"

"Can we not do this right now?" She interrupted, her voice sounding strained. Klaus looked to his brother. "I'm busy."

That didn't sound good, "Busy with what?"

She sighed heavily, "I have a date tonight. You'll have to call back."

Klaus was no idiot, he knew exactly what she meant by having a date and even though he had wanted to clear things up with her the thought made his rage flourish. "Just forget I ever called then." Kol raised an eyebrow, "She was with a client."

Placing his water down on a nearby table Kol uttered, "Still getting in your own way then."

As soon as he left Klaus sunk down into the cushions of the coach, burying his head into his hands. Kol was right about everything. No matter what he did he always fucked it up unintentionally. He wanted to be with Caroline but he was still bitter over not being the only man in her life, which was completely reasonable. Nobody was seeing eye to eye anymore, it felt like a war.


	13. Chapter 13: Clarity

**Sorry that I haven't posted in a while my laptop broke and so I had to get a new one. God bless my mother! So hopefully you all enjoy this chapter.**

**I got a lot of questions about why Klaus is always seeming to be in the wrong even though not wanting your girlfriend to be a prostitute is not a bad thing. The girls don't think what they're doing is wrong and so they don't get it and Kol is just upset that Klaus is always standing in his own way and is willing to overlook the selling herself thing for his brother to be happy.**

**_Nights I Can't Remember_**

At this point Klaus was numb to most things around him, the chirping birds outside his window barely startled him nowadays. He wasn't depressed as Kol seemed to think he was he had just shredded away the part of him that had tried to care so hard about other people.

He missed the days when the only people he had to care about were himself and Stefan, sometimes Kol when he was being rather pleasant the odd day. Klaus found warmth in the memories of what used to be. He missed sitting next to Stefan while the younger man chuckled about something his idiotic brother had done once, or how he hadn't listened to the teacher all last class because he was too busy watching the latest episode of Supernatural on his iPhone. Klaus never understood that show but Stefan had a secret obsession with it that only Klaus knew he harbored.

It wasn't that Klaus didn't love the time he spent with Caroline, it was only that his past life was so much simpler and caused him much less heartache. Before heading off to class Klaus decided that even if he and Caroline were on the rocks, he should at least have something normal sitting in his life, which meant Stefan was going to have to forgive him. The last time he'd talked to the lad it hadn't been pretty but this time Klaus was sure he'd break through Stefan's thick skull.

He made his way towards the classroom, sitting in his regular desk before sneaking a quick glance to his left where Stefan's old desk was. There was a nostalgic feeling settling inside of him whenever he looked at the emptiness where his best friend once sat, a hallow shell of a wonderful memory. From the doorway the friend himself came slumping in, books in hand hanging low down by his thighs. Klaus caught his eye quickly offering a small smile but Stefan took the childish route and ignored him.

Class was just as boring and unamusing as it always had been, words Klaus didn't want to listen to but forced himself too. He needed to more sure he paid attention at least once a week if he wanted to pass the class. Sometimes his teacher would be in the middle of the lecture, turn towards the white board and doodle something that looked as though it belonged in a 1960s cartoon. Klaus had no idea what was zooming around in the man's head but he understood the act of not being able to focus on one single act because the possibility of a new painting or drawing was swimming around in his brain.

Once the lesson ended Klaus made his way towards the front of the room, pausing for a moment to admire the bobble headed rabbit cartoon that his professor had drawn. He felt a tug in his gut telling him to ask what exactly the man had in mind when he began to draw but then the corner of his eye caught sight of Stefan and he quickly hurried after him.

He caught the man outside, rubbing his shoe against the edge of the sidewalk in an apparent attempt to dislodge a chunk of dirt caught in the holes on the bottom. He didn't seem to hear Klaus approach, which was probably for the best because he knew that if Stefan had seen him he'd have bolted off in the other direction before Klaus had a chance to even utter a word.

"Stefan." He spoke firmly. The other lad stiffened at the sound of Klaus saying his name. "Having trouble."

He slowly turned around on his heels, holding his books beside him as he had before, "I thought I told you to leave me alone." Klaus did remember that event but he elected to ignore it.

He heaved a sigh, "I know I don't fully understand what our problem is, and I'd like to fix it. This is me trying." Klaus didn't do much of that in his life.

Shaking his head, Stefan chuckled with nothing but emptiness behind it. "You do know what the problem is Klaus." Klaus narrowed his eyes, "I've told you a million different ways every day, you were just too caught up in yourself to realize."

Klaus stopped himself from saying anything he'd regret, "Well for that I apologize." Stefan just kept staring at him as if he were supposed to start dancing around while singing his undying love for Stefan via show tunes.

"I accept, but that doesn't mean we're best buddies again. I've got places to be." He strolled off with his shoulders raised and his chest puffed out, honestly Klaus wasn't sure he'd ever seen a bigger drama queen.

Klaus began to walk, a steady pace that was anywhere but that campus. The direction didn't matter as long as the wind was surrounding him, and the sounds of cars passing by could drown out his own thoughts. Life had spun into such a complicated web that Klaus was no longer the spider controlling it all, but the fly caught up in the mess, which Klaus loathed deeply.

His feet moved him forward until he couldn't tell where he was, buildings blurred together in shapes that resembled nothing. Klaus looked down at his phone where he brought up his GPS app. After a few moments he realized he was only three blocks away from Caroline's flat. Usually he came at the building from the front but this time he was near the back. How he ended up there he had no idea. His subconscious probably wanted him to fix his Caroline problem.

So he decided to take his own advice and head over to Caroline's place. The million amount of times this had happened was starting to get ridiculous. He hated this constant cycle of breaking up, him going over to her place and then they make up but if Klaus being the bigger person would get them back together than he supposed it was worth it.

Once he arrived he knocked on the door but there was no answer. Being the relentless bastard that he is, Klaus began to jiggle the doorknob only to realize that it was unlocked. Convenient.

He stepped inside, looking around at the empty space that met his eyes. Nobody seemed to be home, or they weren't in the kitchen slash living room area. Klaus shut the door behind him quietly, trying to listen to see if anybody was home. He moved towards the hallway until he reached the bedrooms, all the doors were open and not a single girl was to be found. There was one door that was closed however, the bathroom. Klaus pressed his ear to the door -which seemed much creepier than he had first thought- picking up sounds of heavy sobs coming from inside. Moving backwards he examined the situation and decided that there was a one out of three chance it was Caroline and he couldn't stand to see her crying.

Klaus pushed open the door to be met with a scene he had never imagined.

It was not Caroline that was crying, but Elena instead. She was clutching her chest, wailing while tears trickled down her cheeks heavily. But as he looked around he noticed the obvious –the blood all around her. It was mostly around the toilet area but some of it was splattered onto the floor as well where Elena sat wearing no pants. Klaus didn't know how to process everything but he didn't have much time since the moment Elena saw him she started freaking out even more.

"Oh my god, what the hell are you doing here?!" She screeched, voice breaking in places that it shouldn't have. "Go away!"

Klaus was nearly speechless, "What happened?" He asked with actual concern. Even though the woman on the floor wasn't Caroline, he still felt like hell as he watched her world shattering on the floor. "Elena-" She had her back facing him by that time, head between her knees as she cried so hard Klaus was sure she'd run out of tears soon. "I just want to help."

"Well you can't!" She yelled, looking at him over her shoulder. Klaus realized badgering her about it wasn't going to help him and so he did what he could to try and make her comfortable. He backtracked out of the room, heading towards the linen closet so that he could grab a blanket for her. He picked a cream colored bed sheet that could easily be replaced.

Whenever he entered the bathroom again, Elena was still in the same position. Cautiously he moved towards her stepping in the redness that stained the floor, holding out the sheet for her to take. "Here," He offered. Elena looked up at him, as if she was trying to see what angle he was playing but after a moment she understood that he didn't mean any harm and accepted the sheet.

He turned away to allow her the privacy of wrapping herself, she told him done whenever it was safe for him to look back. Klaus met her eyes, which had stopped crying but he had no idea what to say partially because he had no idea what was going on. Elena stared him down until she couldn't hold it anymore, breaking down into tears once more.

Without thinking Klaus did all he knew to do, hug her. As a child Rebekah had been the biggest drama queen of all, even more so than Stefan which meant she was constantly crying. Without fail every time, the solution their mother made was that the boy who made her cry was to give her a hug. It was the worst punishment as far as the males went, but Rebekah would stop her blubbering immediately so it was killing two birds with one stone really. As he grew up Klaus didn't give many hugs but when he saw Elena breaking down the way that Rebekah used to do so many years ago, it was the first thing he thought of.

Elena stiffened at his touch at first but soon she settled into his grip, turning the color of his shirt into a dark blue with her crying. After what seemed like an hour Elena pulled back, trying to stifle her tears. "I had a miscarriage," she explained, "ten weeks."

He shook his head, "Should we go to the hospital?" Elena closed her eyes, nodding slowly in agreement.

Elena got herself a change of clothes, but she still wrapped herself in the sheet again, blood stains pressing against her new outfit but she didn't seem to care. Klaus decided it must have comforted her so he didn't say anything about it.

By the time Elena got into the doctor's office Klaus was positive that he'd never want to have kids if there was a chance the woman he was having it with would ever have to go through what Elena just did. The lady at the reception area was looking at him with pity in her eyes, and it dawned on him that they all probably thought Klaus was the baby daddy. "Oh no." He mumbled to himself.

A phone started to ring from behind him and he looked down to Elena's empty seat where he spotted her cell phone. It was Caroline calling. Klaus answered it without hesitation. "Hello?"

Her voice was panicked, "What the hell!? Where's Elena!?" Klaus could picture her standing in a blood covered bathroom, having a panic attack at the sight. "I came home and there was nobody home but there was blood all over the bathroom and Elena's pants were in the in tub!"

Klaus cleared his throat, "She's had and accident, we're in the hospital." Caroline stopped pacing from the sounds of it. "She'll be fine. Well," he checked to see that the lady at the desk wasn't listening, not that what he was saying was bad but he didn't like to be eavesdropped on, "she'll be fine physically at least, perhaps not emotionally."

Caroline yelled, "Did you do something to her?"

He nearly laughed, but didn't deem it appropriate, "No Caroline, she had a miscarriage." The other end of the line went silent as Caroline slipped the phone away from her face. Klaus only knew that because her angry breathing stopped suddenly. He could hear Katherine on the other end screaming 'oh my God!' nearly twenty times before Caroline put the phone back up to her mouth, "we're coming."

The girls delivered on their promise to show up, storming into the room with a vengeance, Katherine went right towards him, "Where the fuck is she?" The twin yelled as if it was Klaus's fault.

"She's being examined by the doctor Katherine, please keep your voice down," he growled. Katherine kept her glare at large while Caroline rolled her eyes at his reaction.

The receptionist called for them, "Excuse me, can I ask you what you're doing here?"

Katherine crossed her arms, "She's my sister."

"Friend." Caroline added. Klaus nearly said friend himself so the woman would know he hadn't been the father but he bit his tongue.

She nodded, "Okay, please take a seat."

Caroline sat beside him, while Katherine took a position on the other side of the room, determined to be the first one to see her sister whenever she came out. Caroline leaned over to him moments after sitting down, "Why were you at the apartment anyways?"

He licked his lips, "I wanted to talk to you obviously." She looked down before placing her left arm on the arm rest between them.

Silence passed through the air slowly until Caroline cut through it, "Why are you bothering Klaus it's not going to work." He tapped his fingers against the wood of the seat. "You're never going to accept my job."

He chuckled harshly, "Caroline I was told recently that I've been standing in my own way but now that I think about it I'm not really on this one. It's not wrong for me to not want my girlfriend to be a prostitute." He whispered the last word with a side of bitterness. "How would you feel if it was me?" Caroline couldn't meet his eyes. "Exactly."

She gulped, as if she were trying hard not to say something she'd regret, "Well I guess we're just not good for each other then." Klaus said nothing.

From across the room Katherine jumped in, "Can you two discuss this later? We're here for Elena not your love lives." They were deafeningly quiet after that.

The moment that Elena left that office Katherine was hugging her so tightly that it seemed like Elena would collapse from lack of air. "Oh my god I'm so sorry, why didn't you tell me?" Elena didn't answer her sister she merely held her just as close, relishing in the fact that they were there with her. Caroline joined the hug soon afterwards promising that they could all just take a week off and stay home and watch movies and eat popcorn and have bonding time.

Klaus didn't want to stand around like an awkward fourth wheel and so he walked over to announce his departure, "I'm going to take off." He gave Elena a sympathetic look, "I'm sorry about what's happened." As he turned he felt a hand on his arm, belonging to the bed sheet wrapped woman.

"Can I talk to you?" She asked. Klaus nodded. Elena led him away from the other two girls, passed the receptionist and over towards the doors to the ER. Klaus wasn't sure what more he and Elena could say to each other. He'd saw her in her most fragile place but that didn't mean he wanted to ever see it again. "I wanted to say thank you."

He shrugged, "Well it's no problem."

Elena licked her lips as she glanced towards her feet. Klaus noticed that her toes were against the floor, swaying back and forth like a four year old would do. "I never wanted that kid." She admitted, her voice small. Klaus didn't know how to respond so he didn't. "I mean, I found out last week and I just didn't want it at all. But I was going to raise it because that's who I am but-" She nearly broke out into tears so she took a moment to compose herself, her eyes still looked ready to boil over at any second, "Now that it's gone I want it back, I miss the feeling of being a mother some day and I realized that I don't want to be who I am anymore. I don't want to do this job." Klaus wasn't sure why she was telling him this. "I want a family, to settle down and get employment where I don't have to take my clothes off. Before this I thought what I had was enough but I was wrong. Caroline will see that too. You just have to wait."

Klaus understood the meaning behind her speech now. She was telling him not to give up on Caroline like Caroline thought he should. Even though she hadn't heard the conversation in the waiting room, Elena probably figured out what was happening anyways. "Thank you Elena, I hope you do well." He left without another word.

-o-

Klaus needed to escape his own world for a few days. He'd have to miss a week of school but that hardly bothered him. As soon as he returned home he made the decision that he was going to visit his mother whether she liked it or not.

The day of his departure Kol asked to join him, chuckling at the fact that Klaus was going to go home after what happened last time and so Klaus knocked him upside the head when he wasn't looking. "Why must you be so hateful Nik?" he asked as Klaus made his way towards the door.

"I'm not hateful, I'm just not in the mood to listen to your rubbish." He smiled at his brother, who only rolled his eyes. "I will see you later, please try not to ruin the flat."

Kol raised his hands, "No promises."

-o-

Esther was waiting from him as soon as he walked in the door, she hugged him tightly reminding him of the way he had hugged Elena. "Hello mother." He greeted. Esther pulled back smiling.

She rested her hands on his shoulders, "Niklaus, I wanted to let you know that what happened was not your fault. Mikael has moved out and I don't blame Caroline either." The mention of her name sent a shudder through his body.

He sighed, "Well that's not really a problem anymore we're not speaking." Esther looked saddened, "I came here to forget about that so how about we stop talking of her?"

"Of who?" From down the stairs bounded Rebekah, hair tied back into a pony tail, so with each step she took it swayed to the side. Down behind her came the American fellow, Matt Donovan.

Klaus moved around his mother, "Nobody sister," She hugged him once she reached the bottom, "nice to see you." Rebekah let go, stepping back towards Matt. "Matt." He nodded.

Rebekah looked excited, "We're going to see our friend's band play tonight Nik you should come with us." Matt smiled encouragingly but that was probably because he knew that Klaus's family were nearly all temperamental and if he were rude they'd slice him wide open. "Actually scratch that, you're coming whether you want to or not!"

So it was written and so it should be done. Klaus rolled his eyes, before heading off towards the room he usually stayed in whenever he visited home. Part of him was pained at the memory of Caroline looking at his room, eyes filled with wonder about who he had been whenever he was small.

Klaus joined his sister moments later as they made their way towards Matt's car which apparently Rebekah had bought for him after she accidently crashed his truck into a tree. She probably just wanted an excuse for him to not drive a truck anymore. He didn't truthfully feel like watching an amateur band play to a group of illegally drunk teens but it was better than playing cards with his mother all night.

The place was nearly packed full by the time they got there, people were already standing outside to avoid the large crowd smothering them within the building. Klaus muttered a profanity under his breath at the thought of having to maneuver through the mob.

Rebekah held Matt's hand as they entered, making sure not to let go so they wouldn't be separated. Once they got closer to the front Rebekah saw her friend and waved happily at him. "I'm impressed you can make friends." Klaus commented.

Glaring Rebekah answered, "Not funny Nik."

Klaus chuckled at himself when he caught Matt smirking behind Rebekah, perhaps the boy wasn't as ordinarily American as Klaus had originally thought. "I'm going to grab a drink before this mess begins." He headed back towards the other end of the crowd where he'd spotted a bar. The bartender was working on somebody else's drink when Klaus arrived so he took a seat at an unoccupied barstool.

As he waited he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see a guy about his age, looking nearly dead from drinking. Something about him was familiar. "Can I help you?" He asked.

The man cocked his head to the side, "Are you Klaus Mikaelson?"

"Yes." Klaus pivoted in his seat until his whole body was facing the stranger who may not have actually been a stranger "Do I know you?"

Laughing, sloshing his drink around in cup he answered, "I went to class with you for about a month before I dropped out, your work was really good." Klaus smiled. "How do you get the inspiration?"

That was a question Klaus had never been asked, it wasn't something he thought about much either. He painted a lot about things that he saw, but they usually become corrupted during the process. "I take something beautiful and I twist it around in my world until its ugly." The man raised an eyebrow in slight shock at how upfront Klaus was about it. "Now if you'll excuse me." He left the bar without the drink, making his way back to Rebekah.

As he met his sister upfront she turned to look at him, "so what you and mother were talking about before, of who?" Klaus noticed that the band was having trouble getting their drums set up which was pushing the whole set back.

He didn't want to talk about Caroline but Rebekah usually was better at this love stuff than he was, "Caroline. We're over for good." She chuckled, "What?"

"Sure you are Nik." Matt had moved towards the stage to try and help his friend. Rebekah had her arms folded in front of her, smiling at her brother, "I've never seen you stand up for Mikael like that for anybody but yourself. Sometimes you join in when Elijah or Kol says something but unless he attacks you directly you try not to get involved." Finally a sound come from the drum set, and Matt jumped off the front of the stage.

Klaus licked his lips as he waited for the show to begin, perhaps their story wasn't over after all.


End file.
